An Arrow of Love
by May4192
Summary: In 1820's, Edward is this coldhearted man who does not believe in love. Bella is a helpless maiden who is running away from Mike Newton, the man that her stepmother wants her to marry. Will Edward and Bella get hit with Cupids arrow? Both humans. BxE
1. Prelude

Prelude

1820

_Bella walked through the door, thinking that maybe Jasper had forgotten something, but boy was she wrong. It was Mike Newton! She gave a little gasp and then _

_slowly as if __every step forward was an effort, she moved towards him. "Are you surprised to see me Bella?" Mike asked, putting out his big hand with thick, fat _

_fingers towards her. She __ignored his and politely asked: "Why are you here?" "To see you! You refused to leave an address when you went away, but I guessed _

_where you had gone and the servants at __Bryam House confirmed my suspicions. You see, I have been to London to get your father's signature on a certain _

_document." Bella couldn't believe what he was saying! "You __do realize that as you are under-age, I had to get permission to marry you." Bella stiffened at this, _

_furiously she said, "I have already told you, that I will not marry you." "Well __dear Bella, you have no choice in the matter because I want you and I intend to marry _

_you. As you well know, I'm in love with you." The way that Mike had said that, scared __Bella down to her bones making her step backwards. "I am sorry, but you _

_have wasted your time for I will NOT marry you and therefore I see no reason to continue this __conversation." Mike Newton just laughed, making a horrible sound _

_destroying the beauty of the room. "You have become very hoity-toity since you have been living here! But I __must say I'm not very impressed. You must not worry _

_Bella, when we get married, I'll shall make you love me, desire me the way I do for you." "No!" Bella answered. Mike __came nearer and grabbed her hand. "Let me _

_go!" cried Bella helplessly. At the moment she wished that anyone would be pass by and hear her cries. He pulled her around __forcibly by her wrist until she was _

_facing him. "I'll let go when I'm ready to do so. I find myself thinking about you; dreaming about you; wanting to kiss you, even when you spit __at me like an angry _

_kitten." "Let go of me!!" Bella cried. She knew that it would do no good to try and get away, but she couldn't give up. But then she noticed that by doing__ so, she was_

_ getting him excited. "You cannot escape me Bella! And once we are married I will teach you to want my kisses!" "Never! I hate you! Do you hear I hate you!" _

_she__ screamed. As she screamed this, Mike pulled her towards him to put his other arm around her waist. With strength Bella did not know she had, she somehow was_

_ free from his__ grip and ran towards the doors. He followed after her and pulled her roughly against him. By now tears were falling freely down Bella's face as she_

_ kept on screaming for him__ to let her go. Then as he drew her so close that she could hardly breathe and his think lips came down towards her, she screamed. As the _

_cry seemed to echo round the room,__ a voicefrom the doorway said icily: "May I enquire what is happening here?" With a little leap of her heart Melissa knew that _

_she was safe, for she knew that the voice belonged__ to her only protector._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

1820

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let us drink a toast to the bride and bridegroom, and may their lives be full of happiness!"

The red-faced, jovial-looking gentleman, who had proposed the toast in a slurred voice, held his glass high in the air then threw back his head and tried to swallow the wine in one big gulp. The effort, because he was already unsteady on his feet, made him fall backwards into his chair amidst roars of laughter from the other guests sitting round the table. They were all what they themselves would have described as a "foxed."

Unfortunately the majority of the guests were more interested in the wines, and the crystal glasses were kept full to the brim by a large number of flunkeys.

"There must be a footman behind each chair," Bella thought to herself.

She could not help understanding with a detached part of her mind why her father had done it. At the same time her heart and every sensitive instinct in her body cried out in horror at the thought of Victoria Rundel taking her mother's place. She could not bear to look at the end of the table where her father sat beside his bride.

"Only Victoria Rundel," she told herself, "would have had the lack of sensitivity to wear a white bridal gown and flowing veil over her face although she had long passed her 38th birthday."

When her father had first to tell her that he intended to make Victoria his wife, she would hardly believe he was telling her the truth. At the same time she knew she had been expecting it.

At first Bella could not believe that her father would succumb to such obvious approaches from a woman as ugly as Victoria. "She looks more like a horse than usual!" She had heard someone say in a whisper, as Victoria came up the aisle of the Church on the arm of an aged relative. "I have a partiality for the animal myself," had been the joking reply, "but not in my bed!" There was no doubt it was due to her looks that Victoria, despite her enormous fortune, had remained an 'old maid.' But Charlie Swan had succumbed to the fascination, not of his bride's appearance, but of her cheque book, her stables and the unparalleled luxury to be found at Rundel Towers.

"No one could ever take your mother's place, you know that, Bella. But Victoria distracts me from my pain of thinking about Renee," said Charlie Swan to his daughter. He was suffering – there was no doubt about that- but Bella wondered how long it would be before he would become like the other men that Victoria Rundel entertained, dissolute from rich living and too much drinking, and without a thought in their heads except those that concerned horses.

But Victoria Rundel! The woman was a beast! Bella looked up the table at the woman who was now her stepmother and felt disgusted. Victoria had also drunk heavily and now crimson in the face from both the wine and the heat she looked not only ugly but depraved, which wasn't a good combination for her. The meal was coming to an end. They had been sitting, eating, and drinking for 3 hours and Bella was wondering how much longer she would have to endure the flirtatious compliments paid to her by the gentlemen on either side of her. Now someone produced a hunting horn from his pocket and started to play on it. As if this was a signal for the bride and groom, Victoria rose from her seat, patted her bridegroom's shoulder with a clammy hand and told him she was going upstairs to change. They were leaving for London for their honeymoon. If she hadn't disliked her stepmother so much, Bella would have been sorry for her.

Victoria moved towards the door of the Banqueting Hall. There were a number of other ladies with them until Bella found herself alone except for 2 agitated maids in the big bed-chamber where Victoria had always slept. Victoria lifted the tiara that had held her veil in place down from her head and said complacently:

"The wedding went well- but then that is to be expected from everything at Rundel towers." She stood up to let the maid unbutton her dress at the back and snapped:

"Hurry up, you fool! I cannot be expected to stand here all night!" "I'm sorry, Miss…" the maid replied in an agitated fashion. "Madam now- and don't you forget it!" Victoria retorted back to the maid.

She stepped out of her wedding gown and the other maid brought her and elaborate over-laced stain wrap. She put it on and said: "Both of you – outside! I wish to speak to Miss Bella. I will ring when I am ready for you." The maids hurried away and Bella looked apprehensively at her stepmother's flushed face.

"I meant to speak to you yesterday, Bella," Victoria began, "but you did not come to see me." "I had a lot of things to do at the Manor," Bella replied vaguely.

In all honesty, Bella had deliberately refrained from going to the Towers, feeling she could not bear to look at any more of the wedding presents. "There is no need to concern yourself with anything at the Manor except your belongings," Victoria said sharply, "and I do not expect there are many of them." "What do you mean?" Bella asked.

"Your father has agreed that it will be shut up until we can find a suitable tenant." "No!" Bella could hardly breathe the word.

She knew now why her father had appeared somewhat shamefaced the last two days. He had promised her, promised her faithfully, that she could stay at the Manor, at least until the summer was over. But as in everything else, he must have weakly agreed when Victoria had suggested that to keep open two houses was just a waste of money.

"I have given instructions to the servants about the actual closing of the house," Victoria was saying in her hard voice which was ugly, just like everything else about her. "How soon do I have to get my belongings?" Bella asked.

"Tomorrow or the next day because I doubt that it will take long for you to pack." "And you want me to come HERE?" The words seemed more like a statement than a question, and now Victoria turned to look at her stepdaughter.

The dislike in Victoria's eyes was obvious but not surprising. Bella was a fair-haired, slim and unusually graceful. It was not a face that would appeal to other women and certainly not to a stepmother who would suffer by comparison with anything so delicate.

"You much come here, of course, for the moment," Victoria said harshly, "but I understand Mike Newton wishes to marry you." "He may wish to marry me," Bella replied, "but I have no intention of marrying him."

"That is for your father to decide," Victoria retorted. "Papa? But he has told me that he would not want me to marry anyone I did not love" Bella ejaculated.

"Your father says a lot of things he doesn't mean. You must know as well as I do, Bella, that with no money you are not every man's choice of a wife," Victoria replied.

"Are you seriously suggesting that you might persuade Papa into FORCING me to accept Mike Newton?!"

"Let me make this quite clear, I do not want you here Bella. I do not want any other woman in my house even if you are my stepdaughter. And if you do not marry Mike Newton, you can starve in the gutter!"

Without speaking, Bella withdrew from the room and went slowly down the staircase. As soon as she had reached the Hall, she started to run as fast as she could to her room. She looked around her room for anything that she might have wanted to take with her, but only found her cloak. As she went down to the drawing room, she could hear the people cheering, "Here comes the bride." She had an idea that Mike Newton would be waiting for her to give her the bouquet or something. So she decided to go the back way to the stables. She had made up her mind and she was going to stay with her best friend, Alice Bryam, who lived in the same neighborhood as her. She told her coachman to take her to Alice's house as soon as possible. As she was in the stagecoach, Bella was rereading a note that she had received from Alice earlier saying:

"Something terrible has happened! Please come as soon as you can! – Alice B." Even as she reread, she could only imagine it had to do with her family because just a couple of weeks earlier, Alice's parents, Mr. Carlisle and Mrs. Esme Cullen, were in a stagecoach accident, and both died instantly. Bella had been there with Alice when she found out what happened because she had had a bad feeling all day that something was going to happen. So as she was pondering over what it could be, she knew it had to be something with her family or with Jasper Hale, the man that Alice had fallen madly in love with. Jasper Hale was a good-looking man who was 21, and he happened to live right next door to Alice. Their story was just like a fairytale. Jasper had seen Alice one day out of her house and fell head-over-heels for her. While he was the first man in her life, she too fell head-over-heels for him.

So as soon as she arrived, Bella could see someone waiting on the doorstep and knew it was Alice. Alice came running towards Bella crying, "Oh Bella! I don't know what I'm going to do! Thank goodness you're here! I'm desperate, simply just desperate!"

"What's going on Alice? You look as if you've just seen a ghost or something?" "Oh no Bella it's much worse it's…" and she paused as if she couldn't believe what she was saying,

"it's Uncle Edward."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

"Your Uncle Edward? Why would he write to you?" Bella asked.

But when she looked at Alice's face she finally understood what Alice was worried about.

"You have to leave?" she asked, hoping that maybe she could be wrong.

In answer, Alice drew from the belt of her dress a letter which she handed to Bella. It was creased, probably from Alice holding on to it like if it was her life, and it even had some wet spots were you could tell that she had been crying. Bella opened the letter and it read:

"Madam Bryam, I am empowered by His Grace the Duke of Aldwick to command you to proceed to the Palace, the day after you receive this letter. Two carriages have been dispatched today with outriders and Mr. Hutchinson, His Grace's personnel Courier who will attend your needs and see to your safety. His Grace will accept that your lady's-maid will travel with you, but no one else. It is His Graces desire that his horses should not be kept waiting, but that you should begin your journey within an hour of their arrival at your residence.

I remain your most humble servant, John Hurley, Secretary to His grace the Duke of Aldwick."

When Bella looked up, she could feel the tears starting to form, but she held them back for the sake of Alice. Bella had heard of Alice's uncle, Lord Edward. He was Mr. Carlisle's little brother and they had been quite close until Mr. Carlisle fell in love, with Mrs. Esme. Mr. Carlisle, or really Lord Carlisle, had been the first son of a duke with every social prospect before him. He was rich, good- looking, and his career planned for him.

So you can imagine the shock it was to the family when they heard that the Duke of Aldwick had run away and eloped with the daughter of a locksmith. Lord Carlisle knew that if any of the both families found out soon, they would try to annul the marriage, so the couple ran away as far as possible from Leicestershire, the home of Lord Carlisle. When they moved into their new house as Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle Bryam, they met another couple with the similar story, Charlie and Renee Swan. Back at home, Edward had taken the new title of "Lord" and so in charge of the family. He never did try to contact his brother from that day Mr. Carlisle ran away.

So now here was a letter from an uncle of Alice who had never even met her, asking her to come live with him, and most likely going to become her guardian since she is still underage. Bella could see no alternative so she did the best she could do for her closest friend, she tried to comfort her and persuade her to go without a hassle.

"I think dearest, that you must do as your Uncle wishes, and then once you are at the Palace you can talk to him, maybe even tell him about Jasper. He could even agree to your being married perhaps later in the year," Bella said.

"Later in the year?" Alice screamed. "I hate Uncle Edward and he hates me. He would never allow me to marry Jasper!"

Bella could see that convincing Alice was going to be harder than she thought, but right when she thought she was going to have to call Jasper to help, the door opened. A young man in a uniform appeared and Alice gave a cry.

"Jasper! Oh I'm so glad you came! The worst has happened!" she said.

Jasper looked at Bella with a worried look and asked, "What happened?"

In answer, Bella just gave him the letter, which she still held in her hand. He read it, keeping one arm around Alice, and then handed it back.

"Well," he said, "this is going to be a lot harder than I thought." Alice stared at him with a questioning look,

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "I have some news, news that could just make this whole ordeal a little more complicated." Jasper answered.

Then he saw that Alice couldn't hold the suspense so he just blurted it out,

"The Regiment is leaving for India in 3 weeks."

Alice just stood there in shock and Bella could tell that she had started to shake.

"Dear why don't you go upstairs and I'll come up in a little bit to help you get your clothes. Jasper and I are going to get this all figured out so don't you worry," Bella told Alice.

Alice just nodded her head and went to her room quietly. When Bella saw that Alice had turned the corner, she turned around to talk to Jasper about what they were going to do. She could see that Jasper wasn't too happy about the state Alice was in so she tried to calm him.

"She'll be alright, don't worry." She said. He gave a sad look and said, "For us to get married before the 3 weeks, we're going to need his consent."

"His?" She asked. "The Duke's." he answered.

They both knew that the chances of the Duke giving his consent were real small, but Bella did not give up. She read the letter again which she still hadn't let go of, when she suddenly got an idea.

"What if we _convinced_ him to give you his consent?" she whispered.

Jasper looked at her as if she had just lost her mind. "Are you serious? If we show up there asking for his consent, he's going to throw us out." He said.

But Bella could already see her plan working in her mind so she tried to explain it to Jasper.

"Right. But, what if Alice showed up and showed him what an intelligent, well-mannered, and good young lady she is, and then maybe I can ask him for his consent."

"You? How could you convince him? He said only one maid could go?" Jasper asked.

"Well we both know that old Hanna would never agree to accompany Alice since she is so old, and I don't want to go back to the house. The wedding was today and so Victoria threatened me that I should marry Mike Newton or else… well let's just say I don't want to go back there. So if I passed as Alice's lady's maid, I could help her, since I doubt that she would like to be alone right now, and while I'm there, I could try and persuade Lord Edward." Bella said.

Jasper thought about this for a while and said, "This could work. And you don't mind going?"

Bella thought about this questioned and said, "No, Alice and I are like sisters. We have been through so much together that I would hate for her to have to go through this alone." Jasper smiled. You could see the hope and happiness in his face and smile, Bella thought.

"Well, let's go tell Alice." He said.

After they explained everything to Alice, she was ecstatic after she heard the plan. So, they started to pack her things. Bella was thankful that she and Alice were the same size because frankly, she didn't want to go back to her house and get her clothes. As soon as they were finished packing, they heard horses outside. Bella went downstairs to see who it was and saw that it was Mr. Hutchinson.

When he saw Bella he asked her who she was and she merely replied that she was the lady's maid and that Madam Bryam would be coming soon. So after they got Alice's belongings on the stagecoach and after many kisses and farewells exchanged between Jasper and Alice they started on their way towards Leicestershire to see Lord Edward.


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry! It's been a long time but I'm trying. This chapter is somewhat short but its better than nothing. Have Fun!**

* * *

Chapter 3

Tudor manor was beautiful. It was so large that it seemed impossible that it could in fact be a private house or belong to only one family. And so when the carriage arrived at the entrance door at Tudor manor only reaction was awe.

She had expected the Palace to be impressive, but the manor took her breath away. At the entrance of the manor, was a Major Domo, waiting for them to greet them.

He bowed to them and said, "Welcome to the Palace, Ladies, I hope you have had a pleasant journey."

"Very comfortable, thank you," Alice replied in a voice which told Bella that she was nervous.

"Please follow me." Said the Major Domo.

The Major Domo went ahead into the manor while the girls followed behind, observing in awe at all the beauty and luxury of the manor. When Bella had began to feel that they had walked a very long way, they finally stopped in front of a high door, painted and gilded with golden handles.

He opened it and announced in a loud voice: "The Ladies, Your Grace!"

Lord Edward was waiting for them to walk towards him as they entered. He looks so young! Bella thought. Lord Edward, although serious was his expression, was known to be the most handsome man on the land. His face was what most attracted Bella. His green eyes gave an almost mysterious look to his face while at the same time they seemed to take in every detail of her appearance.

Bella could feel her pulse rapid, her breath come short, and eyesight go blurry for a second just from his look. She tried not to be nervous but she had no idea how this man was going to believe their story. Alice came to within a few feet of her Uncle before she curtsied low and Bella did likewise. Bella could tell that this mission was going to be harder than they thought.

Lord Edward said, "How was your trip Alice?"

Bella was expecting this rough deep voice but got a smooth almost musical voice.

"It was quite well Uncle Edward" Alice responded. He nodded and then slowly he turned his head to look at Bella.

"Who is this?" He asked.

There was a moment of silence when Alice replied stumbling over words, "m…my l… lady's… maid."

At that moment Bella realized her mistake. A lady's maid is supposed to stay outside and see to their lady's luggage. They are not to follow their lady around the house.

"Your lady's maid?" repeated Lord Edward, and you could hear the doubtlessness in his voice.

"Y…yes… Uncle Edward."

"And do you usually bring you maid with you into a Salon?"

Alice and Bella looked at each other, and as Bella could see that Alice was too afraid to speak.

At the moment the door flew open and in came an angry young man and went straight towards Uncle Edward, and said "Is it true Uncle? Is it true that you have lowered my allowance?"

"Jacob as you can see I'm quite busy so you will wait outside," Replied Lord Edward with a stern look.

The young man looked towards the girls and was embarrassed as he thought Lord Edward was by himself.

"Oh please do forgive my rudeness." Said the young man.

Right when he was about to leave the room, he recognized Alice and asked,

"I beg your pardon miss, but are you Miss Alice?"

Alice gave him a questioning look, when her eyes went big in recognition.

"Cousin Jacob!"

He smiled and asked Alice how her parents were. When she explained what had happened, he apologized, but his face said that it wasn't sincere. As he was excusing himself, he noticed Bella. Bella noticed the way that he was looking at her so she lowered her eyes as she blushed. He smiled and left the room. When she looked up, Lord Edward was looking at her with a disapproving look.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Bella Swan, Your Grace."

"And you are lady's maid to my niece?"

"Yes…Your Grace"

"How long have you served her in that capacity?"

Bella didn't know what to answer so she just looked down.

"How long have you and my niece known each other?"

"For twelve years, Your Grace."

"And you have created this little scheme between you, so that you could come here to stay in my house! It was curiosity was it not?" He asked.

"No indeed, Your Grace. I had to find employment of some sort since I have left my house because of my father has remarried." She answered.

"He would not keep you with him?"

"No. My stepmother did not wish it."

"And so you and my niece thought up this plot, hoping I should not discover it." He said in a stern voice.

"I am sure I will be a very competent lady's maid, Your Grace."

"And keep your place with the servants?"

There was something scornful in the way that Lord Edward spoke that Bella felt the blush rise in her cheeks.

"I came prepared to wait on Alice and behave in every way that a lady's maid should." She answered.

Lord Edward replied, "Let me make this quite clear from the beginning, I will not be deceived and I will not be lied to."

"If it is your wish, Your Grace, I am ready to leave immediately now that Alice is under your protection."

He looked at her face searchingly as if he was questioning whether she spoke the truth. The he said abruptly:

"If you leave here, where will you go?"

"I shall stay at my stepmother's house since they are on their honeymoon, until … until I find somewhere else."

She was so ashamed that she just kept her head down. Alice moved forward with pleading hands.

"Please, Uncle Edward, do not send her back!" she pleaded.

The Duke watched Bella for a moment and then said to Alice.

"In the circumstances, Miss Swan may stay with you, and I think it would be more comfortable for everyone concerned if she remained as your friend and companion."

"Oh, Uncle Edward, how can I thank you?" Alice cried. "I am so grateful!"

Lord Edward put out his hand to the bell-pull. Even as he touched it the door opened and the Major Domo stood there.

"Inform the house-keeper that Miss Alice has brought with her a friend, but no lady's maid. One must be provided for her. The young ladies are to be given rooms near each other. Is that understood?" he ordered.

"Yes Your Grace."

Lord Edward turned towards Alice and said,

"I expect now you would wish to rest. I shall see you both at dinner."

At that, Alice and Bella curtsied and they went from the room. In the outside parlor, was the young man who was inside. He stood up at their presence and bowed, while they curtsied. Alice, delighted now that her Uncle Edward had let Bella stay, asked him how his parents were with her usual cheerfulness. He answered her question but then turned towards Bella.

"And who is this beauty?" he asked.

"Oh do forgive my poor manners. Jacob, this is my friend Bella Swan. Bella, this is my cousin Jacob Black."

Jacob took her hand and kissed it, while the whole time he looked into her eyes.

"It is a Pleasure to meet you Miss Bella."

He said with a smile that sent chills down her spine. She remembered the way he looked at her in the Salon, and she already felt disgust towards him.

Yes, she did not like Alice's cousin at all.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Bella and Alice got to their room, Alice's new lady's maid was waiting for them. Alice started giving instructions to the maid, leaving Bella to herself. Seeing that Alice was going to be busy for awhile Bella decided to wander around to look at the palace.

While she was in awe of how beautiful the palace's interior was, she discovered the best room of the whole palace, the Library. When she walked in, everywhere she looked there were books, thousands of them.

When Bella was a child, Sir Swan used to put Bella on his lap and read her plenty of books over many subjects. And so ever since, she has fallen in love with books.

So being at the Palace's library brought so much happiness to Bella, which she almost seemed to glow with it. The Curator, an old man with white hair who had lived at the Palace nearly all his life, could see that Bella was so interested in the books so he asked her,

"Would you like to borrow some books?"

Bella nodded eagerly replying with a "thank-you."

"What subject particularly interests you Miss?" He asked.

"I would like first to learn about the Palace. I have never imagined that anything could be so magnificent." Bella said.

The Curator seemed to shine with pride at this.

"Let me show you where there are two shelves containing only books written about the Palace. You can borrow one whenever you fell like doing so."

"Oh, thank you!" she replied with excitement.

He took her to the shelves about the Palace and then he showed her some other books which he thought would interest her, but she returned to the shelves about the Palace at the end. When she picked out one to take back to her bedroom, she said with a smile to the Curator,

"I read quickly so I shall be asking for another far sooner than you expect."

He laughed and replied, "I shall be only too delighted to advise you, Miss."

As she was walking back to her bedroom, she noticed movement outside the window. When she approached, she looked down and saw a black and yellow grand carriage on the gravel in the front. She waited and watched. The horses were fidgeting a little and it was some moments before down the steps came Jacob Black, his top-hat at an angle, his clothes even more dandified than before.

He stepped into the carriage and picked up the reins and Bella expected the groom to relinquish the horses' heads. Instead there was a delay. The man appeared to be waiting for something. Bella wondered what could have happened that could have caused a delay.

Then round the corner of the Palace she saw a man appear and guessed that it must be Jacob's own groom. When the man noticed that his master was waiting for him, he started to run, making Bella think he was a little boy. Jacob had obviously given a command to the Palace's groom for he stood aside and the horses started off.

The running servant had almost reached the carriage when his cockaded hat fell from his head. He checked himself, bent down, pick it up and ran on to the clamber into the back of the carriage which was already moving at some speed towards the bridge. He hoisted himself onto the seat at the back pulling on his hat as he did so. As he had bent to pick it up, Bella realized he was not a boy for he was in fact quite bald.

As she saw the horses pick up speed, she couldn't help but wonder what Jacob Black and his servant were doing since it was not announced that they were in the Palace. Even as she thought back to when she met Jacob, she wasn't able to shake off the bad feeling she got; something was not right.

As she was starting to walk back to her bedroom, she was still very thoughtful and therefore didn't see that Lord Edward was in front of her. As she bumped into him, she lost balance. She could have sworn that she was going to land hard on the floor but just as she merely inches away from the floor, she felt two firm arms wrap around her waist.

She opened her eyes and was met with the green eyes of Lord Edward. She blushed when she realized how close he was and that he still had his arms around her. When Lord Edward saw her blush, he pulled back, and said,

"You should be more careful Miss Bella, you could have injured yourself."

As Bella looked up, she thought she saw worry in his eyes but when she looked again; his eyes had their usual blankness.

"I'm sorry my Lord."

She whispered since she seemed to have lost her courage to speak.

"Well, that's good. Also, when you see Alice, please let her know that I shall be expecting the both of you for supper in an hour."

"Yes my lord"

After he left, she could feel her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

"What is wrong with me?" Bella thought as she started to walk back.

When she got to her room, she saw that Alice had taken a nap. As Bella got ready, she woke Alice up so that she too could start getting ready. After Alice was ready, they decided to go down to the Salon to wait for dinner to be called. As they were walking, Alice asked Bella in a low whisper,

"When do you think we should talk to him about Jasper?"

"Well, if everything goes well during dinner, then I would say afterwards," replied Bella with a smile, hoping to give Alice confidence.

As they entered the Salon, Lord Edward was already waiting for them, making Bella more apprehensive about what was to happen after dinner. The Duke sat in the high-backed chair at middle, while Alice and Bella were on his left and right.

While they ate, Lord Edward talked a little and in a tone of voice that made Bella think he was choosing his words carefully. Because she felt it was her place to keep as quiet as possible, she merely listened, thinking that it was almost like watching a play or a ballet with the Duke playing the leading role.

The thought must've made her smile because Lord Edward said suddenly:

"You seem amused, Miss Swan."

"I am happy at being here and being part of anything so grand and yet in a way so theatrical," Bella answered. She saw the Duke's eyebrows go up and said hastily:

"I do not mean that rudely, but Your Grace must understand that to me it is as if everything is being performed on a stage; everyone knowing their roles and never making a mistake, and contributing to such an impressive pageant that one almost waits for the applause."

For the first time, there was a faint twist to the Duke's lips.

"I think you mean to be complimentary, Miss Swan. At the same all theatre performances are but illusions. What is happening here is real."

"And yet to the outside world it would seem very magical," Bella argued.

"I am not concerned with the outside world," replied the Duke. "In my own life, I expect nothing but the best and I make sure that I get it."

Alice and Bella were walking to the Salon when Alice asked in a frightened voice,

"Shall I tell him as soon as he joins us?"

"I don't know," Bella answered. "Yes, perhaps you had better speak at once."

She felt it was something that must be over with and the quicker the better. Twenty minutes past before the Duke joined them. As he moved across the room from the door, Bella could not help but admire his appearance in evening clothes.

It was difficult to believe that any man could be smarter or more elegant in the whole land. She was quite certain that his athletic figure and the manner in which he moved was the result of regular exercise and an active participation in sports.

She also noticed that he ate and drank little at dinner, and she was sure that he wished to keep slim, unlike many of the hunting squires at her father's wedding. Watching the Duke, she thought, that if he did not look so cynical, he would appear much more handsome.

"I wished there was a book about him," Bella thought suddenly. "I would like to know what he has done and what… he thinks."

Lord Edward settled himself on a chair near the fireplace.

"You must tell me what you would like to do tomorrow," he began. "Do you wish to ride?"

Alice drew in a deep breath and said,

"There is something I want to tell you, Uncle Edward."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I am… engaged to be… married. My fiancé is to be promoted this week to a Captain and since his Regiment has been ordered to India, I would wish to marry him before he leaves."

There was a moment's silence and then Lord Edward said,

"Did your parents know of this?"

"They did indeed," replied Alice.

"Jasper has been in love with me since I was fifteen and I with him, but naturally we had to wait. I am now seventeen, Uncle Edward, and I know that if Papa and Mama were alive, they would have let me go with him to India."

"You have proof of this?"

"Proof?" she questioned.

"Your engagement was announced in the newspaper?"

"No, that would have been impossible. Jasper was just a soldier and they are not allowed to be married. Only now that he is captain, Jasper can ask permission from his Colonel."

"And that has been granted?"

"Yes"

There was a silence, and then as the Duke did not reply, Alice said:

"Jasper is asking for permission to come here and see you. He should arrive the day after tomorrow. He will explain everything, but please Uncle, say you will give your consent!"

Lord Edward made himself more comfortable in his chair before he said:

"I would not think of giving my consent for you to marry at the age of seventeen, and certainly not to the first young fortune-hunter who approaches."

"Jasper is not a fortune-hunter," Alice replied angrily.

"Perhaps when this gentleman returns from India in, let me see, perhaps three or 5 years' time, you will have changed your mind."

"I shall never do that, never!" Alice cried.

"We love each other. He has always loved me. My parents accepted the fact that eventually we would get married. You have no right to interfere… to stop me marrying the man I love!"

"I think I have every right morally and legally," he answered. "Let me make this quite clear. You will not marry him. As I have said, he is probably just one of the many men whose eyes are firmly fixed on your fortune."

"That is not true!"Alice said and now she rose to her feet.

"How can you say such things about him? I had no money when Papa was alive and he loved me then. I will not let you ruin my life! If you will not let me marry Jasper then I will run away with him, as Papa ran away with Mama."

"You will do nothing of the sort!" the Duke said and now his voice was sharp and authoritative.

"Your father made a fool of himself while he was still a school-boy and you apparently wish to do the same. Now listen to me. When this young man calls to see me, I shall tell him exactly what I think of him and send him away. I will have no fortune-hunters suitors hanging around you while I'm your Guardian. Now thinking about it, I shall see that you have a very much more strict and severe companion than you have at the moment. You will not be imprisoned, but you will find it impossible to write love letters or run away without my being well aware of it!"

The Duke spoke without anger, and yet every word seemed to fall like a hammer blow.

"I hate you! I have always hated you and Jasper will save me somehow. I love him! What do you know about love?"

Alice's voice broke on the words and then she turned and ran from the room, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Bella rose to her feet and stared at the Duke. He looked as if Alice's outburst hadn't bothered him at all.

"That was cruel, Your Grace, and very misjudged," she said quietly.

Then without curtseying she turned and walked from the Salon to follow Alice. But as she left, she didn't notice Lord Edward look at her and if possible, look more miserable than before.

* * *

If you got the wrong version of this chapter, Sorry! But at least now its fixed. Any questions, ask me! Also, dont worry! Everything turns out good. :) 


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry! i know its been super long since I've updated but i'm making it up with chapter since its super long. If there are any mistakes, sorry about them. And a lil clue for next chapter, Bella saves Edward's life! **

Alice cried all night and there was nothing Bella could do to comfort her. Long before dawn, Alice fell into an exhausted, restless slumber and Bella crept away to her own room. When dawn came, Bella went to go check on Alice and found that she was still asleep.

Gathering up all of her courage she decided to go see Lord Edward and try to explain the situation. Bella tip-toed from the room and found Mrs. Meadows, the housekeeper who was an elderly woman and had been at the Palace all of her life, waiting outside with concerned looks.

"My dear, was she able to get some rest?" she asked.

Bella was touched because she could see that Mrs. Meadows was really worried about Alice, a girl she had barely met.

"Yes Mrs. Meadows she was able to fall into a deep slumber."

"Oh thank goodness! I was getting ready to call the doctor! The poor thing! I hope her distress goes away soon. I couldn't be able to stand to see that poor child so sad."

Bella smiled and replied, "Yes, she is truly good at heart."

Mrs. Meadows just smiled in reply.

"Mrs. Meadows, I have a small favor to ask." Bella asked in a shy voice.

"Oh please dear do ask. It would be my pleasure to help you." Mrs. Meadows replied with joy.

"I was hoping you could take me to Lord Edward. The Palace is so big, I'm afraid I might get lost or I might not find him."

"Of course dear just follow me."

As they walked away from the door, Bella could feel the butterflies in her stomach.

"God what is wrong with me? Why am I so nervous? It must be because he's so intimidating. But how can a man so intimidating, be so young and handsome? With his green eyes and god like figure I'm surprised he's still a bachelor. I wonder why he's so angry though" Bella thought.

But before she could think any further on the matter, Mrs. Meadows said,

"While we're on our way, I hope you don't mind Miss Swan if I give you a very short tour of the rooms that we pass by."

"That sounds wonderful!" she replied excitedly.

So while they past rooms, Mrs. Meadows would explain a little about each of them to Bella. Just as they were entering one of the Salons, Bella saw a painting on the wall of a man, around 16 or 17. He looked so happy and handsome, almost as if he was the perfect man, and his eyes, she knew those eyes. Mrs. Meadows saw Bella staring at the picture and said,

"Ah I see you found the picture of Master Edward when he was young. He was so cheerful back then; there was not a moment of silent in the Palace those days. I remember quite clearly Lady Elizabeth getting mad at him quite constantly for always doing some prank or being too loud."

Bella could see the sadness in Mrs. Meadows and asked,

"What happened?"

"Well dear, he was engaged to some pretty lady, he was so happy the day she had accepted. You see he was quite besotted with her. But then one day he just changed drastically. He called the engagement off you know. After that, nothing was the same anymore, not even when Lady Elizabeth past away, who he was very close to, he didn't show any sign of indifference. He's been like that ever since."

After having heard that, Bella looked back at the picture. She couldn't believe that that had been Lord Edward. He looked so happy, and his smile, it was so beautiful that if Mrs. Meadows hadn't told her, she would have never believed that it was Lord Edward.

Mrs. Meadows tapped her shoulder and said, "Come on dearie, we're here."

As she went around towards the door, the only thing she could hear was her heartbeat as it sounded loudly in her ears. She looked at Mrs. Meadows again for reassurance and received a gentle smile from her. She smiled at this thinking how silly she's being and rang the bell. The doors opened and the Major Domo appeared with a gentle smile.

"If you will come with me Miss Swan," the Major Domo said to Bella, "I will escort you to His Grace's private Sitting Room."

At that, they set off along the long corridors, practically getting enough exercise inside the Palace without going outside. She found however when they arrived that it appeared as if someone was in the Salon with Lord Edward.

"I understand, Miss Swan," the Major Domo said to Bella, "that His Grace is engaged in a meeting. I was not aware of it or I would not have brought you here. However, if you be kind enough to step into the Ante-room, I will inform you as soon as His Grace is free."

"Thank you," Bella answered. "There is no hurry."

The Major Domo opened other door and Bella walked into a room where the walls were decorated with different paintings of the Palace, each executed in different centuries. When the Major Domo closed the door, Bella started to look at the pictures, noting how the Palace had changed very little over the years. It was when she neared a door at the side of the fireplace she realized she could hear people talking on the other side of it and recognized Lord Edward's voice.

"I have told you before, Jacob," he calmly said, "that I do not wish to see you here and I have no intention of paying any more of your debts."

"You would rather I languished in the Fleet Prison? It would cause a scandal, as you well know."

Jacob's voice was trying to be provocative, but it came out repulsive instead.

"It is a matter of the utmost indifference to me," Lord Edward replied. "I have warned you before that I will not continue to finance your gambling and crazy extravagance which has passed of all bounds of credibility."

"You forget, I am now your heir."

"That is something which I am unfortunately unable to forget but it does not alter my determination to not throw good money after bad."

"It is usual in families like ours for the heir presumptive to be provided with an adequate income."

"I have, since I came into the Dukedom, provided you with a considerable amount of money," the Duke replied, "which you have squandered in a profligate manner which both appalls and disgusts me. I will never give you no more. Get out of my house and stay out!"

There was a moment's pause and then Bella heard Jacob say:

"If that is your last word, then I shall not attempt to argue with you. You are, of course, aware that I can borrow on my expectations?"

"Your expectations, as you call them will not appear very rosy in the eyes of the Court. I am still young, only a couple years older than you, and I have no intention of dying."

"Naturally, and I wish you good health. But whether you live a long life lies in the lap of God."

There was something in the way that Jacob spoke which made Bella feel that although his tone was pleasant the words were a threat. Lord Edward must have pulled the bell for without replying to his nephew he said:

"Mr. Black is leaving, Major Domo. Will you kindly show him to the door?"

"Certainly, Your Grace," the Major Domo replied.

As she heard the door close, she looked around frantically looking for something so as not to look suspicious of eavesdropping. As she finally decided to just sit down and wait, she tried to calm herself down and think about what she had heard. But all she could think about was that she didn't have a good feeling about Jacob, and that there was more to his words than she thought. Then the door opened and the Major Domo, rather flushed as if he had hurried, said:

"His Grace is free now Miss."

Slowly Bella walked towards the door, as if afraid that with each step she was walking straight towards evil and with a deep breath, she walked in. The Major Domo went ahead to announce:

"Miss Swan, Your Grace!"

As she opened the door, she felt herself go weak at the knees because there, standing by the window, was Lord Edward with the sunlight hitting him. At that precise moment he looked like an exact image of a perfect Greek god down on Earth. But before she made a complete fool of herself she thought,

"Bella get a hold on yourself!"

So when Lord Edward turned around, Bella had gotten composure of herself and put a blank expression on. From the surprised expression Lord Edward had, it was obvious to Bella that he had not expected to see her. Seeing his reaction, Bella became shy all of sudden and barely asked in a low voice,

"May I speak with Your Grace?"

"But of course, Will you be seated Miss Swan?" Lord Edward answered.

He indicated a chair beside his own and Bella sad down on the edge of it, her hands clasped in her lap. Without looking up from fear of finding his piercing green eyes, Bella began,

"Alice has been awake all night. I had wished to see Your Grace this morning to ask you to send for a Doctor but unfortunately I did not have the courage to disturb Your Grace."

"Hysterics will not make me change my mind," Lord Edward remarked.

Bella looked at him and the words she was about to say seemed to die on her lips. There was a long pause and he asked:

"Have you anything else to say Miss Swan?"

"I have a lot to say but it is difficult when you make me feel so… so… frightened!"

She saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes and said:

"I thought you were brave, Miss Swan."

"I thought I was too, but now I know I am a coward," Bella answered.

She paused and added unhappily:

"I never believed I would be afraid of anything or anybody, and yet now I am physically afraid of my Stepmother and of… someone else and also mentally afraid of… of… you!"

For a moment there was a faint twist at the corners of the Duke's mouth and he said:

"I can only regret that I have that effect upon you."

"Could you please just listen to what I have to say and not be angry until I have finished?"

"You anticipate that what you say will annoy me?" he asked.

"I expect so," Bella answered, "but I still have to say it."

For the second time, Bella could have sworn that she saw a small smile on the Duke's lips, but he tried to hide it.

"Perhaps it would reassure you if I promise to listen without prejudice."

"Thank you," Bella said.

"It is just that I have to try to make you understand."

"I am all attention." He replied.

"I read about your ancestors," she began, "about how the people trusted them because they never made a judgment without hearing all the evidence and always looked for some measure of mercy before they passed sentence."

There was a silence for a moment and then Lord Edward said:

"You are implying that I did not hear the evidence before making up my mind, and as you have informed me before, I behaved in a manner which was both cruel and misjudged."

"It sounds very impertinent but yes that is what I thought," Bella replied.

"Then of course I must hear what you have to say in defense of Alice's determination to ruin her life before she is old enough to be aware of her own stupidity?"

"Is it stupid to fall in love?" Bella asked. "I have always believed that it is something which happens and which one cannot help."

She saw the expression on his face and added quickly: "It is very easy to be cynical; to say that Alice is too young to love or even to recognize it. By that are you not assuming that love is something which is restricted or influenced by age?"

"I was not speaking about love," he answered, "I was speaking about Alice's marriage."

"You intend, when it suits you, to marry her to someone simply because it is advantageous from a worldly point of view? How can you contemplate anything so unspeakably horrible for someone like Alice, who has been brought up in an atmosphere of love?" she asked.

"Does that make her different from other girls?" the Duke asked.

"Yes, I think it does! Yet, whatever sort of home a woman comes from, she still does not wish to be a chattel – a piece of merchandise which is sold over the counter to whoever can pay the most of it."

"Most arranged marriages turn out to be a quite happy," he said. "The woman has security, her husband gives her the protection of his name, and she has an assumed social position and children to satisfy those emotional yearnings eulogized as love."

"Do you think that is enough?" Bella said. "Do you think anyone like Alice could be satisfied with a roof over her head, however grand, and the vanity of knowing that she has a handle to her name and a coat-of-arms on her coach?"

she spoke in a scathing voice to Lord Edward and now there was the light of battle in her eyes as she went on:

"It is a typical male attitude that a woman wants nothing but comfort, that she has no soul and feels no other emotion save that of gratitude to the man who gives her, as you call it, "the protection of his name.'"

She drew in a deep breath and continued, "Women can feel as deeply, if not more deeply, than a man, and yet, you are ready to treat us as if we were senseless puppets; to be passed from hand to hand, an animal who can be given away."

"You argue very convincingly, Miss Swan," Lord Edward said, and she thought that he was mocking her.

"At the same time, marriage is the only career available for a woman."

"Marriage with a man she loves!" Bella said.

"Not with a man who has no other use for her except as a breeding machine to produce children."

There was a pause and then Lord Edward said:

"Alice is young. She will fall in love again and doubtless with someone more suitable."

"How do you know Jasper Hale is not suitable?" Bella asked.

"You have made up your mind about him because Alice has said that she loves him. That is what is so unjust, so unfair! You think that he must be a fortune hunter, because he is not as rich as Alice, and yet he loved her from the first moment he saw her when she was only a school- girl of fifteen."

Bella's voice deepened with emotion as she went on: "Now through some tragedy of fate just when they could have been married you interfere and prevent it. Not for any valid reason, but simply because of a personal prejudice that makes you think that women should not fall in love; that marriage must be decided on the amount of wealth the bridegroom does or does not own."

Bella had spoken aggressively towards the end; it had surprised Lord Edward. Then as if she realized that she was fighting Lord Edward rather than pleading with him, she said in a different tone:

"I am not putting Alice's case at all well. I meant to be very humble; to beg you to be kind; instead of which I am fighting for the principles in which I believe and which I know will not convince you."

She looked down as if ashamed for having said anything at all but actually, Lord Edward was quite taken away by her little speech.

"How can you be sure of that?" he asked.

"Because you are not being logical or judicious," Bella retorted. "You are being commanding, authoritative and omnipotent! You are playing God! That is wrong I know it is wrong!"

"You are a very surprising young woman," the Duke said slowly.

"I am not talking about myself," Bella said, "but if you want to know what I feel, I think it is wicked and degrading to an extent I cannot describe for any woman to be forced into matrimony with a man whom she does not love, and who perhaps physically revolts her."

There was a throb of fear in Bella's voice and her eyes were very expressive as she thought at that moment not of Alice but of Mike Newton, and her Stepmother's determination that she should marry him. Then in a quieter tone, she went on:

"Please try to understand that Alice is really in love! She is like her father and loves with her heart and her soul. It would not matter if she was seventeen or seventy, she would feel exactly the same about Jasper Hale."

"Can you really credit that love has nothing to do with age?" he enquired.

Bella thought he was laughing at her, making her just madder.

"You and your family thought it wrong for Carlisle to run away and get married when he was seventeen. But he and Lady Esme were completely happy together."

She answered. "Alice is like her father, and if you will not let her marry Jasper, if you deliberately separate them as I think you intend to do not only for the moment but forever, then I believe you will destroy her."

She continued as she drew in her breathe: "She will want to die, and that means she will be crippled in her mind, in her heart and soul. She will never be a whole person again, nor a happy one."

"Was my brother so exceptionally content with the wife he chose when he was still a school-boy?" Lord Edward asked.

"I have never known two people happier, except my own father and mother. I was thinking … last night…" She thought about it, blushing deeply, and decided to say no more.

"What were you thinking?" Lord Edward asked, with curiosity in his voice.

"Perhaps you will think it … foolish," Bella went on after a moment, "but I was thinking that we say people who fall in love are pierced with Cupid's arrow but an arrow has a sharp point!"

She looked away from Lord Edward as her blush continued to deepen and continued: "Nothing therefore, in life can be perfect, even love has a little pain attached to it. So although Lord Carlisle found the woman he was to love all his life when he was seventeen, he had to give up his family."

"Yet surely you do not blame me," the Duke asked, "for striving perfection? Or at least to get as close as possible?"

"That is something we all long fore, but I believe that it is unobtainable. If it were, the earth would be Heaven and we would have nothing to contend with; nothing to fight; nothing to conquer."

"As you are trying to conquer me?"

"Of course not!" Bella shot back as she blushed yet again.

"I am only placing a very humble petition at Your Grace's feet and asking you for justice and mercy."

There was a moment of silence giving Lord Edward time to think of Bella's words and actions.

"You have certainly shown me a new aspect of the problem," He said slowly.

"And you will think about it?" Bella asked, although she tried to hide the hope from her voice, it could still be heard.

"I should certainly find it difficult not to but I am still convinced that it would be wrong for me to permit my niece to go to India in a few weeks with a man of whom I know nothing—a man who has none of the advantages which one might normally expect of a suitor for her hand."

At this, Bella drew in a deep breath. Then she asked in a low voice,

"Have you ever been in love?"

For a moment Lord Edward did not reply and she thought he was going to refuse to answer when he responded,

"Once, when I was 17. I learnt then exactly how much this ridiculous, over-rated, sentimental emotion can mean! It is but a transitory physical desire for another person which is vaunted by writers and artists into an ecstasy which does not exist except in their imagination."

"I do not expect you felt that at the time," Bella said softly.

"And no one is really happy without love."

Lord Edward looked at her. As she looked up, she caught his eye.

"You say you loved once, and then you were disillusioned. But you really believe you are a happy person? You have all this, a great Palace, your title, your wealth, so much that it is impossible to count it all. And yet, in your heart, inside yourself, would you swear on all that you hold sacred that you are happy, really happy, as you would be if you were loved or were in love?"

* * *

he thought that for sure Lord Edward would annihilate her with an icy word because she had been so presumptuous, but he said:

"Why do you suppose I am not happy, Miss Swan?"

"Because you do not look it," Bella answered quietly. "Because you are cold, distant, aloof and cynical. I should not speak to you like this, but I am trying to make you understand what you are missing."

"I thought you said you were a coward." He said smiling in a teasing voice.

"I am very afraid that you will be angry at what I have said," Bella answered, "not so much with me after all, I can go away but with Alice."

Lord Edward said nothing and after a moment, Bella rose to her feet.

"Perhaps I have said too much. I intended to behave quite differently. If I have done anything to prejudice you even further against Jasper will you forget my impertinence?"

"I thought you asked me to think about it?" he answered.

"Will you do that without prejudice?"

Slowly he rose to his feet and now she looked up at him, tilting her head back a little to do so since he was much taller than she was.

"You can tell Alice, Miss Swan," Lord Edward said slowly, "that I will see her young man when he arrives. Then I will consider the whole situation from perhaps a new angle, the angle you have presented to me."

"Do you mean that? Do you really mean it?" Bella asked breathlessly.

"I never say what I do no mean, but I make no promises. I want to see thing young man who has evoked such a passionate defense from a very skilled champion." He said with a smile.

"Oh thank you! Thank you very much!" Bella cried excitedly.

And for a moment she forgot who she was with for what she did next surprised them both. She ran up to him and hugged him. She felt him go stiff and she regained her composure, even though she felt herself blush madly. She hesitated for a moment before she said:

"Will you forgive me for being so outspoken?"

"It was a new experience or rather shall I say, one I have not experience for some years. And will all honesty I enjoyed the change." He replied.

Bella looked up at him not certain what he might mean, when he added:

"I must commend my niece on engaging a very powerful advocate, even as Lord Chief Justice, I am impressed!"

There was a note in his voice that told Bella he was teasing her.

"May I tell Alice that we can dine with Your Grace, tonight?" she asked in a shy voice.

He smiled at her and responded, "I shall look forward to it."

Bella swept him a deep curtsey. Then as she rose she realized that he was watching and she felt unexpectedly self conscious as she went from the room, to run as quickly as she could along the passages and up the stairs to find Alice.


	7. Chapter 6

**Next chapter's hint: someone decides to visit Bella**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

A very subdued Alice, whose eyes were still a little swollen, but who however was smiling tremulously, came down to dinner. It seemed to Bella, however, that Lord Edward went out of his way to be pleasant towards them.

He made no reference to Jasper or to the drama of the night before, but he talked interestingly of what had happened when he opened the Tower Hall in Melchester, and of what he wished to show his niece the following day on the estate.

"I have made a great many improvements in the last few years," he said.

"In my father's day, Alice, things continued very much as they had for several centuries. I want to move with the times, I want new implements for agriculture, I want to build more cottages, more villages and improve those already in existence."

Bella realized that Alice's mind was entirely centered on Jasper and that she found it difficult to think of anything else. However it was important for Lord Edward to be kept in a good temper, so to save Alice from making the effort, Bella talked much more than she had the night before.

She asked questions; she made him explain many of his plans in detail. She asked him about the Palace and he told her far more descriptively than Mrs. Meadows about the history of it. After dinner Bella and Alice only stayed a very short time in the Salon with Lord Edward.

Alice was obviously very tired after so much weeping and Bella, who had only had a few hours sleep the night before, found her eyes were drooping and her head nodding.

"I think you should go to bed," Lord Edward said. "There is nothing more tiring than emotional dramas."

His expression was cynical, but his voice was kind and he was not sneering. Alice curtsied and said:

"Thank you, Uncle Edward, for saying you will see Jasper. I feel sure that he will be here tomorrow."

"Then we may hope for a letter or a note in the morning giving us notice of his arrival," Lord Edward replied quietly.

Alice moved towards the door. Bella curtsied and then put her hand on the Duke's arm.

"Thank you," she said in a low voice, "thank you, more than I can possibly say."

She looked up at Lord Edward as she spoke and thought she saw a strange expression in his eyes looking down into hers. She could not explain it to herself. It was almost as if he looked questioningly at her; as if he was looking deep below the surface, but what he sought she had no idea. Then she told herself she was just being imaginative; that he was as cold and aloof as he had always been.

When she said good night to Alice there were no tears and none of the misery of the night before when Alice had alternated between abusing her uncle and asking how she could reach Jasper. Bella had almost forcibly restrained her from running away from the Palace but luckily it never came to that.

Now for the moment, Alice was optimistically convinced that Jasper would persuade the Duke to allow their marriage and that she would sail with him to India. Bella was not so certain of that, but she was extremely relieved that Alice was no longer so distressed.

Finally she kissed her good-night and went into her own room. She had told the maid not to wait up for her, and undressing herself she slipped into bed to fall asleep almost as soon as her head was on the pillow. She was able to sleep for some hours then she awoke with a start because she thought that she had heard Alice call her.

She lit a candle by her bedside and slipping on a white muslin wrapper which she had made herself, she opened the door between her bed-room and Alice's. But when she listened it was obvious to her that Alice was still asleep.

"It must have been a dream." Bella thought.

Very quietly she shut the door again and walked back towards her bed. It seemed to her that the room was rather stuffy and she remembered now that when she came to bed she had been so tired that she had forgotten to open her windows. Always at home she slept with her windows wide open even in the winter time. She pulled aside the curtain and pushed wide open one of the heavy casements.

As she did so she looked out and drew in her breath. It was a night of stars and there was a pale young moon coming up the sky. The gardens looked ethereal and very beautiful; the yew-hedges dark patches against the white of the syringe bushes which were just coming into flower. The fountains were not playing but the water in their basins was shining silver in the light from the sky.

"It is very lovely!" Bella whispered to herself.

Suddenly she noticed a faint movement below and leant cautiously further out of the window to see what it was. She thought at first it was two animals in the garden, and she wondered if there were stags that had strayed in from the park. She was well aware what damage they could do to the flowers and lawns. Then as the figures became clearer, she saw it was not stags which were moving below her but men.

She watched them in surprise, realizing that they had seemed like two animals because they had been bent almost double as they twisted among the flower-beds and the shrubs and then approached the house. Now they walked across the terrace to stand close against the wall of the Palace looking up.

Bella wondered for a moment if a fire had broken out. Could they be trying to rescue someone from one of the upper windows or the roof? She leant further out so that she could see the whole front of the Palace from the roof downwards. She inspected the upper floor and then the one on which she was situated. Beyond her room and Alice's there were other bedchambers and then the State-rooms.

Suddenly Bella realized it must be Lord Edward's room at which the two men were staring. She looked down and saw they were no longer standing on the terrace looking upwards: one of them had begun to climb the side of the Palace. It was then, like a flash of lightning, she realized that the man had been the bald servant who had been Jacob Black's carriage.

Bella opened her bedroom door and started to run down the corridor. As she ran she realized that Jacob Black had been planning this before he even talked to Lord Edward. She found that this was why the bald-headed groom was walking round the Palace while Jacob was inside, so that he could find the easiest route into the Lord Edward's bedroom.

Now she could understand the sneer in Jacob's voice when he told Lord Edward that the length of his life lay in the 'lap of god.'

"What he really meant," thought Bella, "was that the question would be decided by how soon he could arrange for the Duke to be murdered."

The thought flashed through her mind as she ran, her white muslin wrapper fluttering out behind her like wings. The corridor was dim, since only one candle had been left burning in each of the many branched silver sconces. The chandeliers had been extinguished, and now as she passed the other bedroom and neared Lord Edward's bed-room, Bella wondered feverishly if she would be able to remember which it was.

Then she recognized one of the doors which lead toward the Duchess's room and knew that the Duke's room was beyond it. She thought frantically there was no time to knock, just as there was no time to call for the servants or the night-watchmen who would be patrolling the house. If Lord Edward's assailant climbed quickly, he would be there before her, and a sense of urgency made her open the door without ceremony.

The great room would have been in darkness except that Lord Edward had pulled back the curtains from one window and thrown wide the casement. It was possible to see by the light of the stars and the faint glimmering of the moon the shadowy outline of the huge four-poster bed.

Without pausing to think, Bella moved towards it, her feet in their small heel-less slippers making no sound on the thick carpet. Only as she reached the bed-side did she find, because she was so breathless, that it was difficult to speak. Then in a whisper she murmured:

"Your grace!"

There was no response and realizing that her voice was inaudible, she bent forward and put her hand in the direction of where she thought his shoulder might be and whispered:

"Your Grace!"

At her touch, the Duke awoke with a start.

"What is it?" he asked in an alarmed voice.

"Hush!" Bella answered her voice barely above a whisper. "There is a man climbing up the side of the Palace. I think he intends to kill you!"

Lord Edward sat up and as the bed was high his face was almost level with hers. For a moment it seemed that he looked at her in the darkness. Then he moved swiftly out of the other side of the bed, and took a silk robe from a chair, reminding Bella she had forgotten her own in her hurry.

But even as he tied the sash round his waist, the faint light in the room was suddenly obscured and Bella stared in terror as she realized the man whom she had seen climbing up the outside of the Palace, had reached the window.

His body seemed to fill the room as with his hands holding on to the frame of the window, he pulled himself up so that he could swing his legs over the lintel and into the room. It was impossible to see his face, and because he blotted out the light he appeared dark and menacing.

There was also something terrifying in knowing that he had approached so silently that they had not heard him.

Then as Bella stood paralyzed with terror, Lord Edward acted quickly. He moved forward so swiftly that the assailant in the window could not have anticipated his approach, and as the Duke reached him, his arm shot out in one tremendous punch. It was the action of a man who had been trained as a pugilist and he caught the intruder full in the chest.

There was a strange sound almost like the grunt of an animal; the losing his precarious hold on the sides of the window, the man fell backwards. One moment he was there, the next he had vanished from sight. There was a hoarse scream and then another followed by silence.

Lord Edward turned from the window and came back to the side of his bed to light the candle. Then he looked at Bella standing on the other side of the great four-poster bed, both her hands pressed against her breast as if to check the beat of her own heart.

"You must go," Lord Edward said quietly, "no-one must know that you came here to warn me."

"Is he dead?" Bella faltered.

"I should imagine so," Lord Edward replied. "It is a very long drop to the ground from the window."

His voice was completely indifferent. Bella drew in her breath and with a tremendous effort walked towards the door, but as she reached it, the Duke was there before her. She looked up at him.

He seemed very tall and commanding in his long robe but it was hard by the light of one candle to see the expression on his face. But by the little light that there was, she could feel his eyes stare into hers, making her blush instantly reminding her that she was wearing nothing but a white muslin.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "Remember in the morning that you know nothing of this."

"I will remember Your Grace," Bella stuttered.

She stepped past the Duke into the passage outside and heard his door close behind her. Then she was running nearly as swiftly as she had run before, back to her own bed-room.

When she reached it, she crossed the floor to look out from the window to see what lay below. The moon had gone behind a cloud and it was hard to see anything, making it hard for Bella to find the man on the floor. Resolutely Bella pulled her curtains and went back to bed. She knew it was what Lord Edward expected of her, and she was certain he had been thinking on her behalf, when he had said no-one must know that she had gone to his room to warn him.

It would have been difficult to give a plausible explanation as to why she had been casually looking out of her window to see two men looking up at Lord Edward's room. And having seen them, why she had not called the night-watchmen. Would the Duke also go back to bed, she wondered. She somehow fancied that he might do so; and yet, if the other man who had been with the climbing assailant was allowed to remove the body, there would be nothing to connect the attempted crime with Jacob Black.

At the thought Bella was certain that Jacob would somehow cover his tracks and make himself seem innocent. He would be careful not to become implicated in a charge of murder, whether or not it was successful. Surprisingly, although she had so much to think about, Bella did fall asleep again and was awaken by the maid pulling back the curtains and letting in the sunshine.

She sat up in bed longing to ask if anything unusual had happened during the night. Fortunately the housemaid who looked after both herself and Alice was a talkative young woman and she said excitedly:

"Would you believe it, Miss, a burglar tried to rob His Grace last night?"

"A burglar?" Bella exclaimed.

"Yes, indeed, Miss! He climbed up the side of the Palace just below His Grace's bed-chamber and that means he must have known which room it was."

"What happened?" Bella enquired.

"He must have lost his footing, Miss, because they found him dead on the terrace this morning. But he had stolen nothing."

"That is a good thing!" Bella explained.

"He had a long knife on him, Miss; you have never seen such a fearsome object! The Major Domo said it was to force the window-latch, but we couldn't help thinking if anyone had grappled with the man he might have done a grave injury."

"He might indeed!" Bella agreed.

The maid left Bella to regale Alice with the same story. It was a clever plot, Bella thought. Jacob's servant memorized the path; he climbs into Lord Edward's bed-room, murders him and steals some of the valuables lying about the room. If he had been successful he would have just disappeared, Jacob would have become Duke and there would have been nothing to connect him to the crime.

Bella was quite certain that having reconnoitered, or allowed his servant to do so Jacob Black would have made quite sure of having an alibi as far away from the Palace as possible. What was more, who would suspect that, however much he was in need of money, Jacob would sink to actual murder?

Alice was interested to hear what had happened and agreed with the housemaid that it was fortunate that the man had lost his footing and fallen to his death before he could do any real harm. But when the maid had left the room Alaice looked at Bella and said slowly:

"If Uncle Edward had been murdered, he would have been unable to stop me from marrying Jasper!"

"How can you say such a thing?" Bella exclaimed.

"You could not really wish your Uncle to die in such circumstances!" Alice smiled mischievously.

"I am not prepared to kill him myself," she said. "At the same time you must agree Bella, it would have been an exceedingly convenient tragedy as far as I am concerned!"

Bella wondered what Alice would say if she knew that it was entirely due to her that Lord Edward was still alive at this moment. Supposing that she had not looked out of her window at that moment? And supposing, having seen his assailant climbing up the side of the Palace, she had done nothing about it?

She wondered if she would have been so alert to the danger if she had not recognized Jacob Black's servant as the same man from before. It seemed a strange chain of circumstances which had made her Lord Edward's savior. Then she thought it would have been unbearable that he should die in such a way!

However intolerant he might be, however aloof, he was still magnificent; still a commanding personality. It was unthinkable that he should be destroyed by a sneak-thief creeping into his room and killing him while asleep.

"I could imagine him dying in a battle in some moment of great gallantry," Bella thought to herself.

She could even imagine him dying when he was old and lying in State in the Chapel surrounded by the tombs and memorials of his ancestors!

But not just to be struck down while he was unconscious at the instigation of a low person like Jacob Black. And yet Alice's words had made Bella feel almost guilty. Had she, she asked herself, in saving the Duke destroyed Alice's chance of happiness?


	8. Chapter 7

**Coming up next weekend: Mike, Bella, Edward**

* * *

Chapter 7

They went downstairs and as there seemed to be no sign of Lord Edward, Bella suggested they should inspect the greenhouses which she had already learned contained some strange and exotic plants that the Duke had been collecting. Bella was not disappointed however by what they found in the houses.

There were not only fruit plants where the peaches and grapes were outstanding, but the flowers were beyond description, making them look like if they came from a fairy-tale story. Never had Bella seen so many different colored carnations massed together and all in bloom, making them all the more beautiful.

There were more flowers such as lilies, camellias, gardenias, orchids, and Bella's favorite, freesias, which the Head-Gardener informed them had been specially cultivated by Lord Edward.

"His Grace is an expert on freesias," he said surprisingly, "and when we have dinner-parties at the Palace, which is not very often these days, the whole table is decorated with them."

"I love white freesias," Alice said with a smile. "I would like to carry them as my wedding bouquet."

She looked at Bella as she spoke and the same thought was in both of their minds, full of hope.

"I hope, when the time comes, Miss, as I can provide you with the finest freesias that any lady ever carried up the aisle," the Head-Gardener said with pride in his voice.

"Thank you," Alice whispered.

As they left the greenhouse, Alice said to Bella in a low voice:

"Let us go back, Bella. I learned that the postman arrives at the Palace just before noon and there might be a letter from Jasper."

They walked across the lawn and let themselves in by the garden door, where a footman was to open it for them, and as they entered the Palace another footman came up to Alice and said,

"Beg pardon, Miss, but His Grace says he wished to see you in his private Sitting Room as soon as you return."

"Will you show us the way?" Alice asked in a somewhat shy-full voice.

"Would you rather see your Uncle alone?" Bella asked in a low voice as the footman went ahead.

"No of course not," Alice replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You must come with me. You know that Uncle Edward terrifies me and perhaps he has something unpleasant to say but I pray not."

Bella hoped that this was the case. At the same time, one could never be sure with Lord Edward as he was as unpredictable as the wind. And yet, as they proceeded down the long corridors, she could not help feeling that he must be grateful to her after last night and would therefore not be unnecessarily severe to Alice.

They reached the big mahogany doors of the room where Bella had argued with Lord Edward the previous afternoon, which were opened for them. They entered and saw that the Duke was not alone but with another man. Alice paused and then giving a cry of sheer happiness, ran forward.

"Jasper! Jasper!" she cried. "I was praying that you come soon."

She threw herself against him and he caught her readily in his arms, as if she was meant to be there. As he did so though, he looked at Lord Edward with a boyish smile of an apology. Bella coming more slowly into the room looked from one man to the other, a little apprehensively though quite not believing her eyes.

What had been said before they arrived? Had Lord Edward listened as she had hoped he would to Jasper's plea that he might marry Alice before he went to India?

"Have you talked to Uncle Edward, Jasper?" Alice was asking urgently. "Have you explained to him? He said he would listen to you but I am afraid, desperately afraid that he does not understand how much we love each other."

"I assure you that Captain Hale has been most eloquent on the subject," the Duke said dryly.

Alice looked at her Uncle for the first time since she had entered the room.

"Did he explain that we must marry each other, Uncle Edward?" she asked anxiously. "We must be together!"

It seemed to Bella as if they all held their breath until Lord Edward replied:

"I assure you, Alice, I have been listening most attentively to Captain Hale's arguments. They were not, may I say, as plausible as Miss Swan's over here."

Lord Edward looked at Bella as he spoke and she felt the color rise in her cheeks.

"Shall I tell you what I feel Uncle Edward?" Alice asked nervously.

"I imagine as your fiancé has only just arrived," Lord Edward answered, "you would rather talk to him than to me."

For a moment Alice did not understand what a momentous statement the Duke had made; but Jasper did, and his face lit up as he said:

"Do you mean that Your Grace?"

"As I have already said Captain Hale, you were very eloquent and as far as I am concerned most convincing."

"You mean," Alice asked in bewilderment, looking from one man to the other, "you mean you will let Jasper marry me?"

"I prefer you do so in a circumspect manner," Lord Edward replied, "rather than run away to Ireland and ruin what I am sure is a most promising Army career."

"Oh Uncle Edward!"

Alice's voice was almost a pain of gratitude as she turned and impetuously flung her arms round the Duke's neck. Bella watching thought at first he stiffened as if such a demonstration of affection was alien to him. Then he bent his head so that Alice could kiss his cheek, and for a moment his arm went around her.

"And we can be married before Jasper goes?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Only if it is a very quiet wedding," Lord Edward replied, "because as you know Alice, you are in mourning and conventionally should wait until you are out of black."

"Papa always said he detested mourning," Alice replied. "But we would not want a big wedding anyways for it would take time to plan."

"You will be married here," Lord Edward said firmly, "and it will be a very quiet ceremony."

"I do not mind if you wish me to be married on the moon as long as I can be married," Alice said passionately. "Oh, Uncle Edward, how can I thank you? You are so kind and I am so terribly, terribly happy."

She moved from her Uncle's arms towards Jasper.

"It is wonderful, is it not Jasper?" she asked in a low voice.

"We are indeed exceedingly grateful Your Grace," Jasper said.

"And now, I expect you both have a great deal to say to each other," the Duke answered, "and you will find some refreshment in the Blue Salon. We will undoubtedly talk of the wedding arrangements at luncheon."

Alice looked up at Jasper with adoration in her eyes.

"I have so much to tell you," she said.

He looked down at her and Bella thought the expression on his face was very touching. Alice slipped her hand into his and said,

"Come along, I want to show you the Palace."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Jasper said again to Lord Edward.

Then with Alice pulling him there went from the Salon and the door closed behind them, leaving Lord Edward and Bella alone. The Duke looked at Bella.

"Well, Miss Swan, are you satisfied?" he asked.

"What else can you expect me to say?" Bella asked. "You have made two people very happy."

"It was moreover a practical manner in which I could express my gratitude to you," he answered with a smile.

"Is that why you did it?" Bella asked curiously.

"If it had not been for you," Lord Edward answered, "they would, as you well know, have been free to marry without my approval."

That was what Alice had thought, but Bella had not somehow expected the Duke to have reasoned it out in the same manner.

"The man might have awakened you as he entered," Bella said in a low voice.

"I doubt it," he answered. "And now tell me how you knew a man was climbing into my bed-room?"

"I saw him," she answered simply. "I happened to open my window because I was hot, and I happen to see two men outside."

"And you suspected one of them intended to murder me?"

Bella was silent for a moment and then she explained how she had seen Jacob Black's horses and how when his servant had run to catch up with the moving carriage his hat had fallen from his head showing his baldness.

"So you were next door while I was talking to Jacob," Lord Edward remarked.

Because she felt guilty at having eavesdropped, the color surged into Bella's face and the Duke went on:

"I imagine you overheard what I said to him. The door between the two rooms must have been ajar."

"I did not mean to listen," Bella replied hurriedly, "but as I did I knew there was a subtle threat in his voice. Perhaps that was why as soon as I saw the man beginning to climb the wall beneath your bed-room I was certain that he meant to kill you."

"Another woman might have hesitated, perhaps been afraid to come to my room and disturb me," he said.

He spoke quietly, almost as if he was speaking to himself.

"I was only afraid that I would not be there in time," Bella answered.

"Like Alice I can only say thank you"

"You have thanked me," she said. "In consequence I am deeply grateful to you for having made her happy."

To her surprise, Lord Edward reached out and took her hand in his. He held it for a moment and then he raised it to his lips, making her feel as if her heart was about to fly out of her chest.

"I owe you my life and that is rather different from anything else," he said in a low voice.

She felt his lips against the softness of her skin. It gave her a strange feeling she had never known before. Then he released her and with his expression as sour as ever he said dryly:

"Doubtless we shall have to suffer at luncheon endless eulogies about that illusory emotion which you and Alice give out so fervently."

&

During the next few days it seemed to Bella that she never had a moment to herself. Before Jasper had left the Palace he had agreed with Lord Edward that he and Alice would be married in 4 days' time. It would leave them a week in which to have a short honeymoon before Jasper must return to barracks to get ready to embark with his Regiment for India.

Fortunately Alice already had so many clothes that there was no need to buy as a large a trousseau as would have been expected for many other young women in her position. Nevertheless there were quite a number of things that she thought she would require in a hot climate.

Early every morning as soon as they had their breakfast, Bella and Alice set off in one of the Duke's carriages for either Melchester or Derby to scour the shops for the things Alice was certain she would need. A number of gowns were to be made in London by a dressmaker who had catered for her requirements for many years and knew her measurements.

These would be packed ready for the long journey and Alice would pick them up at Tilbury before they embarked. But there were hats and gloves, reticules and pelisses, shawls, sunshades, shoes, and ribbons which could be bought locally. The two girls would return in triumph at the end of a long day with boxes and parcels filling the carriage and making their bed-rooms look like a sale in an Emporium.

"I think the ship will sink as soon as you get your entire luggage aboard!" Bella teased.

"I want to look beautiful for Jasper," Alice replied.

"He will be as old as Abraham before he has time to see you wear half the clothes you are buying," Bella laughed, "and I have the feeling after all his hard work that he will not even notice!"

"He thinks I am beautiful," Alice said complacently. "He told me so, but one should never take chances where a man is concerned. He might find someone prettier than me in Bombay or Delhi, or wherever we are going."

"If you were sensible you would study books on India," Bella suggested, "so that you would know something about the country before you arrive there."

"Jasper will tell me all that I wish to know," Alice replied.

Bella smiled as she thought how easy it was to see that Alice would be the perfect wife who thought her husband knew everything and was never prepared to argue with him. She wondered if she would ever be so docile; then told herself that if she were she would expect a man soon to be bored with her. She found herself enjoying the wordy duels she invariably fought with Lord Edward when they met.

While Alice day-dreamed about Jasper or calculated what more she needed for her trousseau, Bella would find herself challenging His Grace in a battle of words, which was an exhilaration she had never encountered before. Since she had saved his life she found she was not as frightened of him as she had been before.

He was still awe-inspiring; he still looked like a Roman General; there were still moments when she thought his cynicism was a weapon with which he tried to hurt her; but in many ways her fear had gone. She realized he was extremely intelligent and had knowledge of the world which she could not attempt to emulate, but she could argue with him on abstract subjects. She also found it fascinating when he explained to her the history of the Palace and the deeds of valor that his family had accomplished over the years. She had discovered too that he himself had fought with great gallantry in the War against Napoleon, had been decorated on the field and received a medal for Distinguished Service.

"Do you miss your Regiment?" she asked when they had finished dinner and Lord Edward was sitting back in his high-backed chair, a glass of port in his hand.

"I think perhaps I envy Jasper," he said. "I would like to be 16 again; to be going to India; to grapple with native uprising and fight the tribesmen on Northwest Frontier."

"I suppose all men enjoy war," Bella sighed, "while women tend to hate it."

"That is because they have so much to lose," Alice said, unexpectedly taking part in the conversation.

"If Jasper were killed I would have nothing left to live for." She gave a little sigh. "While if I were to die, Jasper would still have the Regiment."

"I think Alice has summed up the difference between the sexes very ably," Bella said to the Duke.

"But Alice, as you have never stopped telling me, is in love. What about you and me, Miss Swan? How should we plan our lives each being alone?" Lord Edward asked.

"That as far as you are concerned, Your Grace is surely your own fault," Bella replied.

"Are you suggesting that unlike you, I should not wait to be pierced by Cupid's arrow?" Lord Edward asked mockingly.

He paused and then added: "I think I can assure, Miss Bella that I am over all that nonsense that is to be enticed and deceived by the idylls which bemuse everyone."

"You are tempting fate!" Bella said warningly with a look of mischief in her eyes.

"There are Cupids all over this house; in the sculptures, in the pictures, in the carvings. Be careful that one of them does not draw his bow at you!"

"I have already said that I don't believe in Cupid anymore," he answered.

"And I have told you before that there is nothing that can limit love," Bella answered. "If you believe in it or not, it is all the same to Aphrodite!"

"I do not know what you two are talking about," Alice interposed, "but Bella is quite right when she says there is no limit to love. Mama said to me once not very long before she passed away:

'I love your father, Alice, I love him more now than when I was seventeen and ran away with him.'"

"'Was it very exciting Mama?' I asked her,

'Very exciting!' she answered. 'But now I am older I know that our love is more satisfying and very much more comfortable.'"

"Satisfying and comfortable," Lord Edward repeated. "Oh well, it is at least something to look forward to in life, if it ever happens to me!"

As Bella rose from the table she said dramatically: "I can almost hear the ping of the bowstring and the swish of the arrow heading for Your Grace's heart!"

"We are all getting too imaginative," Lord Edward said. "I think Alice and I had better settle down to more mundane and serious business of counting her trunks and seeing how many carriages she will need to carry them on the first stage of her honeymoon."

The following day Bella came back with Alice from Melchester earlier than usual carrying some of their purchases and followed by several footmen carrying many more. They went upstairs to their bed-rooms where Alice began to unpack what they had bought.

"I am sure you do not need all those materials," Bella said. "There is enough there for fifty dresses."

"Jasper says that the Indian servants are so clever at copying a gown, and he told me to bring pretty, light muslins with me so that they can make them up as they sit on our verandah. It does sound fascinating don't you think?"

"Well, you had better employ at least half a dozen Indians," Bella teased, "and the things you do not wear yourself you can sell at a profit!"

"What a good idea!" Alice laughed. "If we get hard up I will open a shop. Can you see how shocked His Grace and all of my stuff relations would be?"

Bella was about to reply when there was a knock at her bed-room door. One of the maids who had been helping Alice to unpack her purchases went to open it.

"A footman wished to speak to you, Miss," she said to Bella.

Bella went into her bed-room to find a footman at the door.

"There's a gentleman to see you, Miss, and he asked particularly that he should see you alone," he said in a low voice.

Bella looked at the man with perplexity written in her expression.

"Who could it be?" she wondered.

Then it suddenly struck her that perhaps Jasper had arrived and wanted to tell her something before he saw Alice. Could anything have gone wrong, Bella wondered. Could the War Office have said that no wives are to sail with their husbands? There was always the possibility that war or the danger of war might change existing plans, and Bella wondered apprehensively if this could be the reason that Jasper wished to see her alone. She knew only too well how upset Alice would be; what tears and lamentation she would have to endure.

Shutting the communicating door between her room and Alice's she said to the footman:

"I will come with you at once," and without making any explanation she followed him down the stair case and across the Hall.

They went along the corridor and then the footman opened the door of a Salon, which was the one to which Bella and Alice had been taken to the afternoon of their arrival. Bella walked through the door.

Then when she saw who stood at the far end of the room in front of the mantelpiece she stopped dead in her tracks. It was not Jasper as she had half-expected, but Mike Newton!


	9. Chapter 8

**Next chapter's hint: Bella gets married...but to who? **

**I'll update next weekend. Enjoy!**

Chapter 8

She gave a little gasp and then slowly as if every step forward was an effort, she moved towards him.

"Are you surprised to see me Bella?" Mike asked, putting out his big hand with thick, fat fingers towards her.

She ignored his and politely asked:

"Why are you here?"

"To see you! You refused to leave an address when you went away, but I guessed where you had gone and the servants at Bryam House confirmed my suspicions. You see, I have been to London to get your father's signature on a certain document."

Bella couldn't believe what he was saying!

"You do realize that as you are under-age, I had to get permission to marry you."

Bella stiffened at this, furiously she said,

"I have already told you, that I will not marry you."

"Well dear Bella, you have no choice in the matter because I want you and I intend to marry you. As you well know, I'm in love with you."

The way that Mike had said that, scared Bella down to her bones making her step backwards.

"I am sorry, but you have wasted your time for I will NOT marry you and therefore I see no reason to continue this conversation."

Mike Thorpe just laughed, making a horrible sound destroying the beauty of the room.

"You have become very hoity-toity since you have living here! But I must say I'm not very impressed. You must not worry Bella, when we get married, I'll shall make you love, desire me the way I do for you."

"No!" Bella answered.

Mike came nearer and grabbed her hand.

"Let me go!" cried Bella helplessly.

At the moment she wished that anyone would be pass by and hear her cries. He pulled her around forcibly by her wrist until she was facing him.

"I'll let go when I'm ready to do so. I find myself thinking about you; dreaming about you; wanting to kiss you, even when you spit at me like an angry kitten."

"Let go of me!!" Bella cried.

She knew that it would do no good to try and get away, but she couldn't give up. But then she noticed that by doing so, she was getting him excited.

"You cannot escape me Bella! And once we are married I will teach you to want my kisses!"

"Never! I hate you! Do you hear I hate you!" she screamed.

As she screamed this, Mike pulled her towards him to put his other arm around her waist. With strength Bella did not know she had, she somehow was free from his grip and ran towards the doors.

He followed after her and pulled her roughly against him. By now, tears were falling freely down Bella's face as she kept on screaming for him to let her go. Then as he drew her so close that she could hardly breathe and his think lips came down towards her, she screamed.

As the cry seemed to echo round the room, a voice from the doorway said icily:

"May I enquire what is happening here?"

With a little leap of her heart Bella knew that she was safe. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Mike Newton released her and Bella fought against a sudden desire to run to Lord Edward's side to seek his protection.

He advanced towards them immensely dignified, extremely awe-inspiring, and looking an aristocrat to the tips of his fingers. "Do I know you?" he asked, his eyes on Mike Newton's flushed face.

"My name is Mike Newton, Your Grace."

"I do not think you have come here at my invitation," the Duke said coldly.

"I called to see Miss Swan," Mike Newton replied almost sourly.

"For what reason?"

Mike Newton straightened his shoulders and said,

"I intend to take Miss Swan away with me, Your Grace. She is to be my wife and we will be married after I have brought her to her Stepmother's house."

Bella's eyes, wide and frightened, were on Lord Edward's face.

"No! No!" she protested.

But somehow it was hard to bring the words to her lips and they were little more than a whisper.

"Does this arrangement meet with your wishes?" Lord Edward asked looking at Bella for the first time.

"No Your Grace I have refused to marry Mr. Newton but he will not listen to me."

"I do not have to do so," Mike said aggressively. "It is her father's wish and her Stepmother's, that she should marry me as soon as possible. She has nowhere else to go and all the arrangements can be left in my hands."

"I am afraid that is impossible," the Duke said.

"Impossible?" Mike Newton repeated questioningly.

Now there was a note of anger in his voice over-hiding his respect for Lord Edward.

"I have my rights," he went on. "As Your Grace well knows, Miss Swan is under-age and must therefore obey her father." Mike said with a smile.

"If you have your rights Mr. Newton" Lord Edward retorted, "I also have mine. As Miss Swan's employer I cannot permit her to break her contract with me and leave here until it is terminated."

"You are employing Miss Swan?" Mike Newton asked with some surprise.

"I have engaged her to be companion to my niece, Miss Alice, until the latter's marriage," the Duke replied.

"And when is that likely to be?" Mike asked aggressively.

Bella wondered what the Duke would answer, but before he could say anything in reply the door was opened and Alice came into the room.

"I thought that Jasper was here…" she began.

Then she saw Mike Newton and her face dropped.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "The maid said there was a gentleman to see Bella, and I thought it might be Jasper."

Then as if she suddenly remembered her manners she curtsied and held out her hand to Mike Newton and said:

"How are you, Mr. Newton?"

"I am delighted to see you, Miss Bryam," he answered. "I was just asking when you were to be married."

"That would be on Thursday. Is it not exciting?" Alice answered excitedly.

"Thursday," Mike Newton repeated. "It is indeed very exciting, Miss Bryam. You have all my good wishes."

He then turned to the Duke.

"I am prepared to wait until Friday, Your Grace, when Miss Swan will obviously have fulfilled her obligations to you. She can then fulfill those she owes to me, as her father wishes her to do."

There was, Bella knew, a threat in his last words. With a flamboyant air because he was again sure of himself, Mike Newton bowed and raised her listless hand to his lips.

"We shall have the most slap-up wedding, Bella that England has ever seen!"

He put out his hand to Alice. "Good-bye Miss Bryam and give my congratulations to Jasper Hale when you see him. Tell him to take his fences in style!"

He bowed to the Duke. "Good-day, Your Grace. I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing you when I call on Friday."

Without waiting for an answer he walked across the room, cock-sure as only a man completely insensitive to atmosphere could be. He took one last look at Bella standing pale-faced watching him, with frightened eyes. For a moment his seemed to narrow and there was a smile on his mouth the meaning of which she could not bear to contemplate. Then he was gone and the room seemed very quite as nobody spoke.

&

"How do I look?" Alice asked, turning herself first one way and then another in front of the long mirror.

"Lovely!" Bella answered truthfully.

The white wedding-dress covered with the ancient lace veil which had been used by the Bryam family for centuries made Alice look like a Princess in a fairy-tale. The illusion was accentuated by the diamond tiara she wore on her head and the diamonds which glittered around her neck.

Considering the gown had been ordered at a moment's notice from London, it was amazing that Alice's dressmaker could have sent anything so beautiful and so unusual in so short a space of time.

She seemed to radiate joy as she put the finishing touches to her appearance and then picked up the large bouquet of white camellias from the table by the door.

"I am so happy, Bella!" she said, "And it is all due to you and Jasper being so clever with Uncle Edward."

She gave a little sigh of satisfaction.

"I never thought when I cried so bitterly the night we arrived here that everything would come out right."

"I shall miss you," Bella said softly.

"And I shall miss you dearest Bella," Alice answered sadly.

"But it is like journeying to Heaven to know that I shall be with Jasper and that we shall have a whole week together before there is all the fuss of embarking on the ship."

Alice gave a little laugh.

"I do hope I am not sea-sick! That would be very unbecoming!"

"Perhaps being so happy will keep you from even seeing a rough sea," Bella suggested.

Alice laughed; then with a serious look on her face she walked down the stairs to where Lord Edward was waiting for them in the Hall. The ceremony was to take place in the Lord Edward's private Chapel and to be performed by his own Chaplain. He had decided that the wedding should be kept entirely secret from the family.

"They will be surprised, if not shocked, as you will know," he said to his niece, "that you should be married so soon after the death of your parents. Most people, of whom I am not one, expect a long and ostentatious mourning."

"Papa always said it was ridiculous," Alice interposed.

"I know he did and I agree with him," Lord Edward answered, "But when you return from India I think you will find a great deal of pleasure in getting to know many of your relatives and there is no pint in antagonizing them at the very beginning of your marriage."

Alice had been inclined to be rebellious and declare that she was not in the slightest degree concerned as to what her relatives thought or did not think after the way they had treated her father and mother. But both Bella and Jasper had persuaded her not to continue with a feud which was not of her making.

"You have to remember, dearest," Bella said, "that Jasper will enjoy staying with some of your cousin who can offer him excellent shooting, fishing, and exceedingly fine horse-flesh."

Alice had considered this seriously and then capitulated.

"Yes you are right Bella; I might as well be friendly with them. But after all, it will be a long time before we return from India."

"And you presents will accumulate until you come home," Bella smiled.

Standing behind the bride in the aisle of the Chapel, she listened to the beautiful words of the marriage service, and thought how fortunate Alice and Jasper were. They were in love; they had found each other. There were no real or fundamental problems for them in the future, and if there were difficulties they would surmount them because they could share everything and not feel lonely or afraid.

As the music of the organ echoed around the beautifully painted walls, Bella looked up at the gilded alabaster reredos behind the alter and found herself praying that one day she might find happiness as Alice had done; with someone she loved. When they had gone back to the Salon where there was a magnificent cake for Alice and Jasper to cut, Bell was still inwardly aware of her own fears behind the gaiety she tried to show everyone.

There was no-one in the Salon to drink the toasts save themselves, but the Chapel had been packed with the household staff and all the pensioners and retainers on the Estate, who had known Alice's father. It had given them, Bella knew, a great deal of pleasure to be present at such an occasion.

And it was certainly a treat for them to be in the best places and have the best view, rather than the aristocratic personages who might have been expected to be there on such an important occasion.

When Lord Edward proposed the toast of the Bride and Bridegroom, there was only Bella to respond, and Jasper said in an embarrassed tone:

"I am sure you do not wish me to make a speech."

"I would love it!" Alice said quickly.

"You will hear plenty of speeches from me in time, my darling," Jasper answered.

They looked into each other's eyes and became quite oblivious of the fact that Lord Edward and Bella were standing beside them. It was Bella who looked at the clock on the mantelshelf and said:

"I think Alice dearest, you ought to change. Jasper and you have a long way to go tonight."

They were to spend their honeymoon in London and Lord Edward had lent them his mansion in Berkeley Square. Naturally they would have to break their journey, and it was the Duke who had arranged all their stops on the way and sent his horses ahead so that they would not have to rely on the inferior animals which were all that were obtainable at Posting Inns.

Bella and Alice went upstairs and the maids were waiting with a very attractive new travelling outfit which had come from London. As Alice put it on she said to Bella:

"I have left you all the things I do not which to take with me to India. I am sure you will find some use for them."

"But, Alice, surely you will need everything you own," Bella protested.

"Jasper has said I can buy some more gowns in London," Alice answered, "so you can have several dresses I do not really care for and the pink travelling gown on which I spilt the coffee."

"But, Alice, you know we managed to wipe the make away completely," Bella cried.

"I shall still feel it is there," Alice said irrepressibly. "Do not be foolish Bella, you know as well as I do that you need some new clothes."

"Then I can only say thank you," Bella answered. "It is very sweet of you."

She bent to kiss Alice, who looked entrancingly pretty in a new bonnet as they went down the stair case arm in arm. Jasper and Lord Edward were waiting for them in the Hall. Alice ran to her Uncle and put her arms around his neck.

"I can never thank you enough, Uncle Edward!" she said. "You have been so wonderful in letting me marry Jasper. I take back all the horrible things I have ever said or thought about you."

"That is extremely gratifying," Lord Edward remarked and there was a faint twinkle in his eyes.

"I can only say thank you, too, Your Grace," Jasper said.

There was no doubt of his sincerity or that his gratitude was express in the warm hand-shake he gave the Duke. Both Alice and Jasper kissed Bella, and then they got into the Duke's carriage which was waiting for them outside. As the younger members of the staff pelted them with rice and rose pedals, they drove off. Standing at the top of the steps Bella watched the carriage until it had crossed the bridge and was out of sight.

Then she gave a little sigh. "They are so happy!"

"You sound envious," Lord Edward remarked.

"That is exactly what I am," Bella answered turning to go back to the Palace.

The Duke drew his watch from his waistcoat pocket.

"I have to see my Estate Agent," he said. "Shall we meet at luncheon?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Bella replied and ran upstairs to her bed-room.

It was not yet eleven o'clock and she thought as she went that she had two hours- two hours in which to leave the Palace and two hours in which Lord Edward would not be aware of her departure.


	10. Chapter 9

**This chapter is dedicated to steffi32692!**

**Next chapter's hint: Rosalie comes into the story**

**Please dont worry about the story! It's going to turn out great so just keep on reading! **

Chapter 9

She had made her plans very carefully knowing that tomorrow Mike Newton would be arriving to take her away and determined that by then she would have disappeared so that no-one could find her. Lord Edward had saved her from Mike Newton's advances when he had called earlier in the week and tried to take her away with him but she was well aware of His Grace's feelings where women were concerned.

He had made it quite clear at their first encounter, when he had said that love was an illusory emotion which could not be afforded by those who had to earn their living. But whether Lord Edward approved of her marriage or not, there was no doubt that Mike Newton had the law on his side.

He had obtained the consent of her father, who no doubt had been pressed by Victoria to give it. Nevertheless he had signed the paper which enabled Mike to procure a marriage license. At the thought of his red debauched face, Bella felt herself shiver.

'I cannot marry him… I cannot!' she told herself. 'Almost any other man would be preferable to him.'

Yet she knew it would be almost impossible to withstand his demands or Victoria's. Victoria would get an evil satisfaction from destroying her resistance and compelling her to do as she wished.

"I am a coward," Bella told herself. "I could not defy her indefinitely if she hit me."

In her bed-room she found a maid, who she remembered was named Stephanie; putting the clothes that Alice had left for her into a round-topped trunk.

"Miss Alice told me to pack these for you, Miss," Stephanie explained, "but I've left out the travelling gown – the pink one. It's ever so pretty!"

Bella had intended to wear her own blue cloak but as she was anxious to get away she thought it would only delay matters if it had to be unpacked. Instead she took of the dress she had worn as Alice's bridesmaid, and Stephanie put it into the trunk with the other things. The rose-pink gown that Alice had marked with coffee was very becoming.

It was more expensive than anything Bella had ever owned and the bonnet with its little ostrich feathers was certainly very different from the plain straw she had trimmed herself. She looked at herself in the mirror and thought:

"I might be going to a Social Reception rather than to look for employment."

She told herself that when she had time then she would change into her own less conspicuous clothes and keep Alice's gowns for special occasions. She picked up her purse and placed it in her hand-bag. It was quite heavy, which reassured her. She had had to swallow her pride and ask Alice for money.

When she had come away from home she realized with a feeling of consternation that her father had left her with practically nothing. It was not intentional, she was quite sure of that. It was just that in the flurry of getting married to Victoria and the fact that he had drunk so much in the week preceding the ceremony he had not thought of his daughter's needs.

It was obvious; Bella realized that she could not go to London without money. Although she was confident she would soon find herself employment of some sort, there would be the expense of journeying and also she would have to find lodgings for the night – perhaps for several nights – before an employer could accommodate her.

"I hate to bother you with my troubles Alice," she had said humbly, "and I promise that I will pay you back although I might be a little time in doing so."

"Dearest of course I will give you any money you want," Alice answered and then exclaimed in consternation: "But I have very little left. Shall I ask Uncle Edward to give me some, or wait until Jasper arrives?"

"How much do you have?" Bella had asked.

Alice's money, as might have been expected was scattered in a dozen different reticules and hand-bags. Finally, having collected it, they found that it amounted to just under £10 which seemed a lot to Bella.

"Can you spare it all?" she asked.

"Of course I can!" Alice smiled. "Jasper will have the handling of my money now, and I do not have to worry about it any longer."

Bella felt rather guilty, but she knew that she could not set off without some security. Thanking Alice profusely she put the money away in her purse. Now she looked around her bed-chamber to see that nothing was forgotten and then asked Stephanie to call a footman to carry her trunks downstairs. She had already asked before the wedding ceremony if a carriage could convey her from the Palace after the bride and bridegroom had left. She had known, because she and Alice had been ordering the carriages for the past week for their visits to Derby and Melchester that the Duke would not need to be consulted.

She also decided that as she had luggage it would be best to leave from the side door where the trunks were loaded on the carriage. No-one had appeared to think her orders strange, and as Bella slipped down the side staircase she knew there was no chance of the Duke seeing her leave. She would have liked to say good-bye to him; to see him just once more against the background of his magnificent Palace.

"I shall never forget how handsome he is," Bella told herself, and thought how much she would miss him and their conversations at dinner and afterwards.

She had never before had the chance of talking seriously with any man except her father. At parties she had had to listen either to fulsome compliments or long, rambling descriptions of the day's hunt, or complaints about the difficulties of farming. It had been a joy, not only to be able to listen to Lord Edward, but also to pit her brain against his. It had been exciting to argue with him on many subjects and to learn many of the things she had always wanted to know. S

he stepped into the carriage which was waiting and found that it was open. This enabled her to view for the last time the beauty of the gardens and the Park. The warm weather had brought out the mauve and white lilacs and the roses. The almond blossom was pink against the blue sky, and golden kingcups were showing at the water's edge. It was all so beautiful and worthy setting for the majesty of the vast Palace.

As the carriage moved down the drive, Bella looked back. The great building seemed to shimmer in the sunshine so that it looked almost unsubstantial, as if it were part of a dream.

'That is how I shall always remember it,' she thought to herself.

Resolutely she turned her face forward and made herself think of what lay ahead. The fact that she had been so occupied with Alice's wedding had kept her fears for herself at bay, but now they seemed to encroach upon her almost as if they were a dark cloud obliterating the light of the sun.

"What will happen to me?" Bella asked.

She felt as if an insidious terror was writhing within her like a serpent.

"I shall be alone, completely alone! Even if I died, no-one would be aware of it."

She tried to brush such thoughts aside but she could not do so.

'Supposing I cannot find work? Supposing no-one will have me? Will I have to crawl back and agree to marry Mike Newton?'

Every nerve in her body shrank from the idea, and yet she found herself wondering if she would be strong enough to accept starvation rather than marriage to such a man. Her fears would not be assuaged. They were so vivid that they seemed like tormentors sitting beside her and whispering in her ear.

"What can you do?" "What are your qualifications?" "Will anyone engage you as a Governess with a reference, or take you into their house as a companion when you will not even be able to give them your true name?"

"I am terrorizing myself unnecessarily," Bella tried to convince herself proudly, but she felt no less humble and insignificant, insecure and desperately afraid.

The carriage had reached a small village and having passed through it was travelling on towards the high road which was but half-a-mile away. Bella saw the signpost where the stage-coaches stopped to set down passengers. She and Alice had noted it on various occasions when they were driving past. The carriage drew to a standstill and the footman alighted to remove Bella's trunks.

He had just set one down on the grass by the side of the road when Bella saw the stagecoach coming down the highway. Drawn by four horses it nevertheless seemed to be travelling very slowly and she saw there were a number of passengers outside seated on the top of it. She wondered with a sudden sense of apprehension if it would be full. She had hoped to get a seat inside, but now it appeared that might be impossible.

She had just picked up her hand-bag ready to alight, when there was the sound of a horse's hoofs and a voice which made her start violently asked harshly:

"Where do you think you are going?" Bella looked round, her eyes very wide in her face, and saw a black stallion had drawn up beside the carriage and that riding it was Lord Edward.

He looked overpowering and at the same time extremely handsome and a part of the horse he was riding. Bella could only stare at him and feel that her voice had died in her throat. He was looking very angry, she thought—not aloof or indifferent, but definitely angry.

"I … I am going away," she faltered.

"Where are you going?"

The question was sharp, staccato, in his usual abrupt manner.

"To London."

"Alone?"

There was no point in answering the question. He could see there was no-one with her. Lord Edward looked at the footman who was waiting to lift another trunk down from behind the box-seat of the carriage.

"Put that trunk back!" The Duke ordered, and to the Coachman: "Take Miss Swan back to the Palace."

The servants raised their hands to their hats; the Duke turned his horse and rode away just as the stage-coach came to a creaking halt in front of them. For a moment Bella contemplated jumping out of the carriage and climbing into the stage-coach whatever Lord Edward's orders might have been. Then she knew that she dared not disobey him; even if she did so, he could easily follow the coach and bring her back.

Why should he want her to stay? She could not understand it. Yet she knew that the reason she had crept away from the Palace secretly was that she was afraid Lord Edward might interfere and she doubted if she had the strength or the will to battle with him. The Coachman turned the carriage and they drove back through the village the way they had come.

"Whatever he says to me, I will not marry Mike Newton," Bella told herself. "He has no jurisdiction over me, he is not my guardian, nor is he really my employer."

She drew in a deep breath.

"I can do what I like!"

But she did not sound very positive even to her own ears. Almost too quickly, it seemed to Bella that the carriage reached the Palace and drew up at the front door. Footmen ran to assist her to alight and she walked slowly up the steps and into the Hall.

"His Grave wishes to speak to you in his Sitting-Room, Miss," the Major Domo announced.

Bella wondered if the servants were aware that she had been brought back like a school-girl who had tried to play truant.

"If they do know what does it matter?" she asked herself. "Whatever Lord Edward may say, I shall leave here before tomorrow; before Mike Newton can come and fetch me."

She began to think she would have to run away during the night, perhaps taking with her only a bundle instead of her trunks. If the Duke intended to hand her over the next day like a lamb to the slaughter he was going to be surprised. Although she was frightened and trembling inside, Bella managed to hold her chin high and move with dignity across the Sitting Room to where Lord Edward was waiting for her.

As she drew nearer to him she thought he seemed taller and more awe-inspiring than usual and there was an expression on his face which was very different from his look when he had toasted Alice and Jasper only a short while ago. Bella had made no effort to take off her pelisse or the elaborate pink bonnet which had belonged to Alice and as she reached the Duke's side he said:

"I want to talk to you, Bella, and I think you would be more comfortable if you removed your travelling clothes."

"I shall need them again very shortly, Your Grace," Bella retorted.

"They will not run away," he answered and she thought he was mocking her.

Nevertheless, since it seemed ridiculous to oppose him on such a small matter, Bella took her pelisse and placed it on a chair against the wall and laid her bonnet on top of it. Then smoothing her fair hair with hands which trembled, she turned to face the Duke. With a gesture he indicated a chair opposite his own and Bella sat down on the edge of it.

"I should have thought, "Lord Edward began coldly, "you might have considered it polite, if not necessary to bid me farewell before you left my house."

"I… I had to go," Bella answered in a low voice.

"Why?"

"I wanted to reach London as quickly as possible."

"You have someone waiting for you there?"

"No, but I had no wish to be here tomorrow when as Your Grace knows, Mr. Newton will be calling on me."

"You might have discussed the matter with me."

Bella looked at Lord Edward defiantly.

"I knew only too well what Your Grace's arguments would be on the subject. There is no point in discussing them."

"Are you so sure of my opinions?"

"You have expressed them before."

"We were on that occasion, I believe, speaking in an abstract manner and impersonally about marriage, not your marriage in particular."

"It is my marriage which concerns me," Bella answered, "and I cannot and will not marry Mike Newton."

"That is what I would expect you to say…" Lord Edward began.

"And nothing will alter my decision," Bella interrupted as he would have continued, "I loathe him! Can you not understand that? It makes me feel sick to be anywhere near him and I would rather die than to have to marry him."

Bella's voice seemed to ring out passionately. Then as if she felt she had been unrestrained, she dropped her eyes and said:

"I cannot expect you to understand. You think a woman should accept marriage without love. I only know I must find somewhere to live and somewhere where he will never discover me."

"So you meant to hide in London?" the Duke asked.

"I will find employment."

"What sort of employment?"

Bella made a little gesture with her hands.

"I intend to visit a Domestic Bureau at soon as I arrive. They will surely have something suitable on their books."

"Until you find this suitable position where do you intend to say?"

"I thought I could go to a Boarding House."

"You know of one?"

"No, but I am sure I can find one that I can afford."

"And you have enough money with you?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

Bella wanted to say it was none of his business, but somehow when he snapped his questions at her she found it impossible not to answer truthfully.

"Nearly £10. Alice lent it to me."

"£10!" Lord Edward's voice was scathing.

"And how long, you stupid girl, do you think that will last you in London? Besides, do you really believe you will find employment, looking as you do, without experience or a reference? How can you be so foolish?"

"I am sure there is something I can do," Bella said weakly.

"You could have come to consult me."

"And had I done so, you would have told me, as doubtless you will tell me now, that marriage is the only solution."

Lord Edward rose to his feet.

"I think marriage is the answer to your problem, Bella, but certainly not to that coarse vulgar bounder who assaulted you when he came here."

Bella raised her eyes to Lord Edward.

"You mean, you would not have pressed me to marry Mike Newton?"

"Most certainly not!"

Bella gave a sigh of relief. "I was afraid that was what you wanted me to do."

"So you ran away in that foolhardy manner."

"I am sorry if it was ungracious and impolite."

"It was worse than that—it was madness!" the Duke said. "How can you possibly look after yourself or begin to understand the dangers to which you would be subjected in London?"

"Then what can I do?" Bella asked unhappily.

"That is what I wish to talk to you about," he answered.

She looked up at him wonderingly. For the first time since she had known him, he seemed to be hesitating over what he should say, almost as if he were feeling for words. After a moment he said:

"We both, Bella, seem to be in the same sort of difficulty."

"Both?" Bella questioned.

"I have learned this morning," Lord Edward answered, "that my heir, Jacob Black, is borrowing money wildly on the expectation that he will soon step into my shoes and be the next Duke of Aldwick."

"If that is so," Bella said, "he will again try to kill you."

"That is as may be," the Duke answered. "It does not perturb me as much as the fact that I have paid out enormous sums in the past to keep Jacob solvent. However, there is a limit to what I should spend on one member of the family when there are many others, and an increasing number of dependants to whom I have a responsibility."

"I can understand that," Bella said, "but what can you do?"

"I thought that I might solve my problem and yours at the same time," he replied cautiously. "I do not understand what you are trying to say."

"Jacob would find it much more difficult to borrow money if I were married."

Lord Edward paused and his eyes were on Bella's face as he went on:

"That might solve my problem, and the answer to yours is very much the same. Mr. Newton could hardly force you to be his wife, which he undoubtedly intends to do, if you already had a husband."

There was a silence. Bella's eyes were fixed on Lord Edward's face in sheer astonishment as he said quietly:

"I am asking you to marry me, Bella –it is a solution for us both."

"Do you mean that? I cannot believe that I heard what you said correctly."

"You may, of course," the Duke went on with a smile creeping up on his face, "find me as unpleasant as Mr. Newton, in which case we shall have to think of some different solution for you."

"But…but…I…I never thought…I never dreamt…" Bella stammered.

"I know that," Lord Edward answered. "At the same time it seems, to use of words which you are very fond of, a logical suggestion."

Hardly aware of what she did, Bella rose to her feet to walk away from Lord Edward across the room to the window. She stood looking out at the lakes. The sunshine touched them with gold and made them almost the color of the daffodils under the trees in the Park. Her eyes however could hardly register what she saw. Instead she was acutely conscious of Lord Edward standing behind her. After a moment, she managed to say:

"I …I do not know what to say."

"It is unlike you not to be ready with arguments for or against the subject under discussion," the Duke said with a smile.

Bella turned around.

"You have never married and you know as well as I do that you should not now marry someone as unimportant and of as little consequence as myself."

Lord Edward raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"That is the last thing I expected you to say, Bella. I thought that you believed that such worldly factors should warrant no consideration where marriage is concerned."

"Not if two people are in love with each other," she replied sadly as she thought that maybe about her own feelings.

"A condition which is of course completely absent in our case," the Duke said dryly.

As only now she suddenly understood that he had really asked her to marry him, Bella said quickly:

"Your Grace must not think that I am not deeply honored by your proposal. In fact I am overwhelmed that you should even consider me as your wife. It is just…"

She paused and Lord Edward continued:

"…it is just that you want love, Bella—I understand that, but can you afford to wait for it?"

"I cannot! You know I cannot!" Bella answered hastily. "Mike Newton will be arriving tomorrow and he can force me to go away with him!"

"I thought perhaps I was the lesser of the two evils," Lord Edward said, and there no mistaking the sarcasm in his voice.

"No! It is not that," Bella cried. "You know there is no comparison between you! It is just that I have never thought about or have never presumed to imagine you might wish to marry me and I am sure it is wrong for you to do so."

"From my point of view or yours?" he asked.

"From yours, of course. You should marry either someone you love or someone very important. What do you think your family will say when they see me?" she asked.

"I am not in the least concerned with what my family would say. But I think you can never look in the mirror, Bella if you do not realize that your face alone would e sufficient to excuse for a hasty marriage."

Bella stared at him with troubled eyes thinking maybe he had mistaken. He quickly added:

"I have already told you that our marriage would be greatly to my advantage. Let us now think about you. Have you such distaste for me that you could not contemplate such a step?"

"No of course not," she answered quickly. "I admire you and I think you're magnificent, intelligent…"

Her voice faded away, almost saying that she thought he was incredibly handsome too. The Duke said quietly:

"What I intended to say to you, Bella, was that while we are being forced into marriage with regrettable haste, we could once we are man and wife, take time in getting to know each other"

"You mean being friends?" she asked a little disappointed.

"That is what I was suggesting, if in fact the aspect of love in our marriage perturbs you. I am suggesting that we should wait until 'Cupid's arrow' which to you is so important, pierces us."

Bella dropped her eyes before his.

"Suppose," she said, her voice a little above a whisper, "suppose we never fall in love?"

There was a moment's pause and then Lord Edward replied:

"Sometimes I gamble, Bella, and on this I am prepared to back my instinct."

Bella drew a quick breath.

"But you are betting on an outsider and you may be disappointed."

"I am optimistic enough to consider it is an 'odds-on' favorite," he answered and now there was no mistaking the laughter in his voice.

Bella looked up at him, and then unexpectedly she smiled.

"I cannot help feeling that your family would think this a very strange and unprecedented conversation for His Grace the Duke of Aldwick to be having with a Miss Nobody who was going to run away into obscurity!"

"The answer to that is that they will never know about it," the Duke rejoined.

"Shall we get married, Bella?"

There was a moment of silence when Bella asked,

"Can we?"

Lord Edward glanced towards his desk on which there lay a pile of papers.

"I have procured a Special License."

"Then you must have thought about his before?"

"I thought about it after I found that swine frightening you," he said harshly. "When I heard you scream, it was with some difficulty that I prevented myself from throwing him bodily down the steps of the Palace—hoping he would break his neck!"

He spoke so violently that Bella looked at him in shock.

"But you know as well as I do, that he has his rights. Your father has given his consent to the marriage. It would be difficult to prevent him from taking you away from here."

"And do you also not have to ask my father's permission?" Bella enquired.

"I am going to assume that he will not oppose a marriage that has already taken place. In fact to be honest when I obtained the certificate I perjured myself by saying that I had your father's consent." He answered.

"I can see," Bella said with a smile, "That I am causing you to become quiet the criminal! But actually I am sure Papa will be only too delighted if I marry anyone so important."

She hesitated, and then asked: "Suppose I make you a very bad Duchess?"

"That is a risk I am prepared to take. I am prepared to gamble on the fact that you will be an exceedingly good one."

"I think you are very reckless," Bella murmured.

"Is not that what you have urged me to be?" Lord Edward enquired.

"Reckless in letting Alice have her way and taking a chance that her marriage will be a success? Reckless in throwing aside the rules and traditions?"

"So everything that happens will be my fault?" she questioned.

"Of course!" He said promptly. "Even Adam put the blame on Eve!"

She realized that his eyes were twinkling and he was smiling.

"What I suggest, Bella is that you go upstairs and change from you travelling gown into something light and comfortable for luncheon. Afterwards you should rest, and we should be married at six o'clock."

He paused before he added:

"Our wedding will be really quiet; there will be no-one in the Chapel except ourselves. Now go and get ready."


	11. Chapter 10

**Sorry! there's nothing on the ceremony...**

**Next week's hint: Edward's past**

Chapter 10

Obediently, Bella went upstairs to get ready. When she reached the landing, she found Mrs. Meadows waiting for her with the maid Stephanie, both dropping one curtsey after another.

"I've taken your things, Miss into the Duchess's room," Mrs. Meadows said.

Bella looked at her in surprise.

"How did you know" Bella asked after a moment.

"His Grace gave the orders when he returned," she replied.

"Oh Miss its ever so exciting!" Stephanie exclaimed.

Bella drew in her breath. So Lord Edward had been confident even before she came back to the Palace, that she would accept this proposal of marriage! Yet, when she thought about it, from her own point of view, it was the only way she could be safe from Mike Newton or from some unknown and precarious future in London.

But how could the Duke, who had never married, contemplate giving up his freedom for a girl he hardly knew and for whom he had no affection for? Lord Edward had made it very clear that love was not something that would never enter his life nor did he believe in it. Yet, he expected and was prepared to bet on the expectation that sooner or later they would love each other.

It was so bewildering, so difficult to understand, and yet it seemed to Bella that her heart was singing because she did not have to leave the Palace nor Lord Edward. She was no longer afraid of the future. She would be safe and secure and the Duke would protect her against Mike Newton and her Stepmother. Even Victoria, Bella thought, would be unable to complain that she was an encumbrance on her father, although she would undoubtedly be furiously jealous that Bella had married anyone so important.

But it was almost impossible to believe that Lord Edward would really be her husband. Yet she knew she wanted to be with him, she wanted to talk to him, and she wanted to listen to him.

Stephanie was chattering away excitedly and Bella could not hear what she said; she could only look around the room with its magnificent silver furniture and feel that she was dreaming. Was it possible that she would follow the beautiful and famous Duchesses whose pictures hung on the stairs and in the Picture Gallery? Was it possible that she would be the Duke's wife and that he would be sleeping next door to her?

He wanted them to become friends and it was a relief that he asked for nothing closer for she would be greatly embarrassed. Yet, in some strange manner that Bella could not quite understand, it was also disappointing. She wondered what he said to women when he made love to them. She wondered what it would be like to feel his lips on hers. Then she blushed at her own thoughts.

* * *

The clock in the hall was striking six o'clock when Bella came down the staircase from the Duchess's bed-room. She had been worried as to what she would wear for her wedding, knowing there was nothing amongst her own gowns that was fitting for such an occasion. It was almost impossible to visualize herself as a bride, or that she could in anyway equal the loveliness of Alice in her white gown with the family veil and the diamond tiara.

Despairingly Bella looked at her plain muslins and the evening dresses she had made herself, copying in cheap materials, the models which had come from London for Alice. Then she turned to the gowns which Alice had left for her and found there were quite a number of them.

One was an evening dress of pink silk decorated with ruchings of tulle. It was a beautiful and very expensive gown, but Alice had complained that it was too tight around her waist and in consequence had never worn it. Bella slipped it on and Stephanie did it up at the back. It fitted her perfectly and was not in the least too tight.

"It makes you look like a rose-but Miss," Stephanie exclaimed, "and there's a wreath which I'm sure goes with it."

She brought a wreath of cleverly fashioned roses from the drawer. There were tiny diamonds like dew drops scattered in the petals, which glittered with every movement. When Bella looked at herself in the mirror she saw that the whole outfit was exceedingly becoming and a complete contrast to what Alice had worn earlier in the day.

"It seems as if His Grace guessed which gown you were going to choose Miss!" Stephanie exclaimed.

"Why?" Bella asked.

"Your bouquet, Miss is waiting outside," Stephanie answered.

She fetched it and gave it into Bella's hands. Instead of the white camellias which Alice had carried, it was of pink freesias, skillfully arranged against the deep green of their leaves.

"It's just perfect for you Miss!" Stephanie exclaimed, and Mrs. Meadows who had come to see if there was anything she could do to help said the same.

But Bella felt very shy as she came down the stairs. Perhaps Lord Edward would not like her in pink, she thought; perhaps he would prefer a more traditional bride. Then as she reached him where he was waiting for her in the Hall, she looked up at him and their eyes met.

For a moment as they looked at each other it seemed to Bella as if her heart was saying something which she could not say without her lips. Then she told herself that she was just imagining things since she was so nervous. The Duke offered her his arm and she thought he had never looked more impressive.

Then after they had walked a little way down the passage and were out of the hearing of the servants, Bella asked:

"You are quite sure? You have not changed your mind?"

"I am quite sure," Lord Edward answer in his deep voice. "Do not be frightened, Bella, I know we are doing the right thing and what is best for both of us."

Instinctively Bella's fingers tightened on his arm.

"You will not be angry with me if I make mistakes?"

"I will look after you so that you will not make any," he answered. "But if you do, I promise I will not be angry."

"You will remember that I am still rather frightened of you?"

"I hope that I shall be able to convince you that there is no need for you to be frightened," the Duke answered.

He paused and then he said with a smile:

"Once again, speaking logically, it is I who should be frightened of you! Ever since you have been here you have always gotten you own way!"

"Only about Alice," Bella said quickly.

"And you were determined not to marry the man of your father's choice."

"Yes that is true," she agreed.

They were nearing the Chapel when Lord Edward suddenly stood still.

"There is still time to draw back if you really wish it," he said in a voice that Bella had not heard before.

"If the idea of marrying me is really repugnant to you, then we will not go through with this ceremony. Instead I will promise to fine you somewhere safe, where Mike Newton will never find you."

Bella looked up at him, her eyes searching his face.

"Is that what you would prefer?"

"I am thinking for you, Bella," Lord Edward answered."I want to marry you, let me make this quite clear, I want you to be my wife."

There was a little pause and he felt Bella tremble, but she said quite steadily:

"Then please, Your Grace I would like to marry you very much!"

* * *

After the ceremony, Bella opened the door of the Chapel and looked inside. The flowers which had decorated it in great profusion for Alice's wedding had gone, but there were big vases of freesias on the altar filling the air with their fragrance.

She walked slowly up the short aisle to kneel down in the big, carved pew, where she knew Lord Edward always sat when there was a service. She looked at the beautiful altar remembering her own quiet wedding, and then she began to pray.

"Thank you God," she said, "for saving me from Mike, and for letting me marry Lord Edward. Help me to make him happy. I am not certain how I can do so but I want him to forget all that he has suffered and be happy again as he must have been in the past. Please God help him and me."

It was a prayer that came from the very depths of her heart, and as she knelt there she found herself going over again, as she had one in the darkness of the night, the conversation she had had with Lord Edward the previous evening.

When they had dined it seemed to Bella that he was more animated as he talked to her than he had been on previous occasions. It was almost, she felt, as if every day in her company he was growing less aloof and that there more things to laugh about and more subjects in which they were both interested.

When they had withdrawn into the Salon, Lord Edward had sat down in his usual chair and Bella, instead of sitting opposite him formally, had sunk down on the hearth-rug, her leaf green gown, which had been one of Alice's, bellowing out around her. Although it was May it was still cold when the sun went down, and there was a fire flickering in the silver grate under the exquisite marble mantelshelf designed especially for this particular room.

Bella looked into the flames for a little while and then suddenly, not having planned to say it, she asked:

"Will you tell why you did not marry Lady Rosalie?"

Even as she spoke she felt that she had been too inquisitive and Lord Edward would resent it.

"Who has been talking to you?" he asked after a moment.

"When Mrs. Meadows first showed me the Palace, she told me you had been engaged," Bella answered. "I often look at your portrait over the mantelshelf and think how happy you looked. Why did you change?"

she realized the Duke was tense and after a moment she said: "Forgive me. I should not have questioned you like that. I have no right to do so."

"As my wife," Lord Edward replied slowly, "you have every right. I will tell you what happened, Bella, but it will in fact be the first time I have spoken of it to anyone."

Bella looked up at him in surprise and she saw his eyes were cold and hard. Because she felt shy she did not know what to say, or how to prevent his feeling hurt now that she had opened the subject.

"I met Rosalie soon after I was 17," he began.


	12. Chapter 11

**Tomorrow: Last chapter! **

Chapter 11

"After I met Rosalie, she was already an acclaimed beauty and the same age as me," Lord Edward started.

"Was she very lovely?" Bella asked in a low voice.

"Exceedingly beautiful," the Duke replied, "and needless to say, I was not the only person to think so. Rosalie was the roast of St. James's. Half the eligible bachelors in the Peerage had proposed marriage, but because she had a doting father who allowed her to do as she liked she had refused all of them."

Bella's eyes were on Lord Edward as he continued his story.

"Like most of my friends, I fell captive to Rosalie's charms and I am not exaggerating when I say I literally worshipped her. She seemed to me to be the embodiment of all that was beautiful in women, not only in her face, but her character."

"She was gay and witty; she could hold a dinner party spell-bound with her conversation. At the same time, she was soft and feminine and fascinating in a manner which was difficult to describe."

Bella drew in her breath. She did not know why, but there was a pain in her chest as she listened to Lord Edward describing another woman in such glowing terms.

"Rosalie accepted my proposal of marriage," he went on. "To me it was incredible that I should be blessed that this beautiful girl, whom practically every man I knew desired, should choose me as her husband."

"I walked about after she had accepted me with my head in the clouds, feeling I was the most fortunate of human beings and that she had given me a manhood I had not possessed before."

There was a pause and then Lord Edward said roughly: "I was a young, vulnerable fool!"

Bella waited and after a moment he continued:

"Rosalie lived, when she was in the country, about twenty miles outside London. Her father, who was a Marquis, owned a great Estate and a huge rambling house which had been added to over the centuries until it was a mixture of every shape and design, which gave it a charm all on its own."

"I had arranged to stay with the Marquis a week before the wedding and then unexpectedly I got leave from my Regiment a day earlier than I had anticipated. I had bought in London a very special present for Rosalie. It was in fact my engagement gift to her and I had planned it as a surprise."

The Duke paused as if he was looking back and remembering that day.

"Someone, I have now forgotten who, had been saying how unromantic the younger generation was! He had talked of how women in Spain were serenaded; how Venetians would climb up the side of a palazzo to kiss their loved one leaning over the balcony; how Hungarians would gallop hundreds of miles to give the woman they courted a token of their affection."

"These ideas fired my imagination and I decided that I would show Rosalie not only how much I loved her, but also how romantic I was."

"I collected my engagement present and a bunch of lilies which were her favorite flower, and I rode down from London arriving at the Marquis's house at about eleven o'clock in the evening."

"I knew Rosalie would not be asleep, for she had often told me how she would lie awake night after night reading or sometimes, to my delight, writing poems, which I matched with my own efforts in verse."

"I left my horse in the shrubbery and then walked across the lawns. I knew every inch of the way and as I neared the house I saw that there was a light in Rosalie's bed-room. I imagined she was thinking of me as I was thinking of her."

"She had told me so often that she loved me. Why else should she marry me, I asked myself."

"Granted my father had an old and honored title, but there had been other aspirants for Rosalie's hand just as distinguished."

"I reached the side of the house and started to climb up a wisteria tree which carried me easily to the balcony outside Rosalie's rooms. The balcony actually opened off her boudoir and as I threw my leg over the balustrade I saw that the windows were open and there was only one light burning."

"It would spoil my surprise if Rosalie's maid was still with her or perhaps her father had come to say good-night to her. Then I heard a man's voice answering Rosalie."

"I was just about to return the way I had come, to wait until he had retired when I heard Rosalie say:

'I shall miss you Emmett, desperately when I am married.'"

"'You will be coming home from time to time?' the man's, Emmett, voice replied.

'It will not be the same will it?'

'God, no!' he answered.

'What do you think I'll feel knowing you'll not only have your husband loving you, but a dozen other fools besotted as me.'"

"'I have never thought you a fool, Emmett,' Rosalie said softly.

'Passionate, sometimes brutal, but never a fool.'"

The Duke paused and then he continued.

"I must have stood rooted to the spot. Actually my sense of shock was over-ridden by something different- a feeling of complete and utter disgust."

"I knew who was with the woman that I had worshipped and who I thought had condescended to me as if she were a very angel from Heaven, it was a man employed by her father!"

Lord Edward's voice was sharpening as he added:

"He was the manager of the Marquis's racing-stud; a man who was good with horses and an outstanding rider, but who had started life as a stable –boy."

There was an almost frightening silence. Then as if she could not help the question Bella asked:

"What did you do?"

Lord Edward started at the sound of her voice almost as if he had been so immersed in the past that he had forgotten she was there.

"I put my present and the flowers," he answered after a moment, "on the floor just inside the window where she could not fail to see them. Then I climbed down from the balcony and rode away."

"Did you speak to her later?"

"I never saw her again," the Duke answered. "I sent an announcement to _The First Monitor _to say that our marriage would not take place and I went abroad."

"Surely your father and your relatives must have asked what had happened"

"I did not enlighten them," Lord Edward replied. "Rosalie understood of course but she naturally offered no explanation. She married Emmett soon afterwards and went to live in Ireland."

"Is … is she still alive?" Bella asked.

She did not understand why, but she felt as if the thought of Lady Rosalie menaced her happiness.

"No, she was killed out hunting about ten years ago," The Duke replied.

Again there was silence which seemed almost intolerable until Bella murmured:

"I am sorry, sorry that you should have been so hurt."

"I was obviously absurdly and idiotically sentimental," Lord Edward said harshly. "It certainly cured me of being romantic!"

"Not all women are like that," Bella said after a moment.

There was the cynical note in his voice which Bella dreaded, and she wished now that she had not taken him back into the past, reviving memories of Lady Rosalie. Then she told herself perhaps it was better for him to speak of it than to bottle it up as he had done all these years, suffering alone and, because of the perfidy of one woman, despising her whole sex.

"You asked me to tell you the truth," Lord Edward said, "and now perhaps you are satisfied."

He rose to his feet as he spoke and walked across the room and out of the Salon. Bella sat alone with a feeling of consternation. Lady Rosalie had not only hurt his pride and destroyed his ideals; she still reached him out from the grave to make him cold and cynical, sarcastic and aloof.

"I hate her!" Bella said out loud.

She felt hatred towards the woman who had done this to Lord Edward. Later, the Duke returned. He brought with him a book which they had discussed at dinner and talked quite normally, as if nothing untoward had been said and he had already forgotten his confession. When they retired, Lord Edward as usual raised her hand to his lips. Bella's fingers tightened in his as she asked in a low voice,

"You are not angry with me?"

"I promised you I would never be angry," he answered with a smile.

"I was just afraid you might be after this evening," she whispered.

"There is no need for you to be afraid of anything," the Duke said.

"Just trust me."

She looked up and something in his eyes made her feel breathless. Then he bent his head and his lips were on the softness of her skin.

"We are friends, Bella, so we can be frank with each other without fear."

"Yes, friends," she echoed.

Then the door closed behind him but Bella lay awake wishing she had a magic wand with which to heal the scars that Lady Rosalie had left on his heart and his mind. She felt very young and very ignorant at that moment. What did she know about men or about love? Bella could understand that it had not only hurt the Duke's pride that she should prefer another man to him, but it was degrading and insulting that he should be one of her father's servants.

To be humiliated in such a manner was something he could never forget, and which he would always feel was intolerable. The she thought helplessly how ineffectual she must be. Ever since they had married, the Duke had shown her a kindness that she had not believed possible, but still there had been nothing personal or intimate about it.

"In a week or so we will go to London," Lord Edward said. "But I thought it would be wise for us to get better acquainted with each other before we start to entertain and for you to have the ordeal of meeting my family."

Bella looked at him nervously.

"Oh please do not let us be in a hurry about it," she pleaded. "You know the idea terrifies me!"

"I will look after you," he replied, "and I assure you that my family is far more frightened of me than they could possibly be frightening to you."

Bella smiled. "I am sure that is true. At the same time you know I am afraid also of letting you down."

"You will never do that," Lord Edward said positively, "and before you meet them I am determined to buy you some very beautiful gowns. Clothes I am told, give a woman confidence."

"I would like that," Bella smiled.

She found herself hoping that Lord Edward would admire her and think her pretty when she had her new gowns. She would of course, she told herself humbly, never compare in his eyes with Lady Rosalie, but perhaps if she took a great deal of trouble over her appearance, he would be proud of her.

"I have a present for you," Lord Edward had said last thing before they retired to bed. "It arrived this afternoon and I hope it will meet with you approval."

"A present?" Bella exclaimed. "What can it be?"

He seemed to have forgotten the bitterness in his mind when he had spoken of Lady Rosalie. Now as he drew a small box from his pocket there was a smile on his lips and for a moment he looked truly happy. He opened the box and Bella saw inside was a large diamond ring, the center stone of which was a heart-shaped with smaller diamonds on either side of it sent down in the shaft.

"Is that for me?"

"It is your engagement ring, even though it has arrived a little late," the Duke answered. "I wanted to give you something that was your own and not part of the family collection."

"It is beautiful, really beautiful!" Bella exclaimed.

She looked up at the Duke a little anxiously to say:

"I feel I should not accept such a valuable present from you while we are only friends."

The Duke was still for a moment and then he said: "I am still backing my odds-on favorite, Bella."

"It does not seem quite right somehow," she said a little breathlessly. "You see, I have nothing to give you in return."

Again there was a little pause before the Duke answered: "Will you believe me if I say that the friendship you have given me these last days has been an ample recompense for this ring?"

"You do not think I am being avaricious?" Bella asked.

"I should be very disappointed if you refused the gift I bought for you," the Duke replied with a smile.

"Then please will you put it on?" Bella asked eagerly.

She put out her small hand with its long slim fingers and Lord Edward slipped the ring onto her third finger. It already wore a gold bang which she learned had belonged to his mother. Still holding her hand Lord Edward looked down on it and then he said quietly:

"Diamonds become you, Bella, but I have yet to find anything that does not."

"It is so beautiful!" Bella said. "Thank you. Thank you so very much!"

She lifted her face to Lord Edward naturally and gratefully as a child might have done. He bent his head and she kissed his cheek. It was only as her lips touched him that she was suddenly aware that it was the first kiss she had given her husband, and the first time she had ever kissed a man with the exception of her father. It gave her a strange feeling she could not understand in her chest and she felt suddenly shy. As if he understood her embarrassment Lord Edward said quietly.

"There are many other things I would like to give you, Bella, but I think it would be amusing for us to choose them together when we are in London."

"That will be exciting," Bella said, "but you must not give me too much. This is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my life. I never thought I should ever own anything so magnificent but it must have been very expensive."

"Surely that is of no importance?" Lord Edward asked mockingly. "You have always been telling me, Bella that I should not think of affection or love in terms of money."

"You must not quote my own words against me," Bella protested. "At the same time, Your Grace, I would not wish to prove a costly encumbrance."

She thought as she spoke of how much he had spent on Jacob Black and how ungrateful Jacob had been, even attempting to murder the man who had been his benefactor.

"Will you be careful at night," Bella asked, "and not leave your window too wide open? It would be more difficult for anyone to climb in if it was half-closed."

"Are you worrying about me Bella?" the Duke asked. "I do not think Jacob will enact the same crime twice. But to put your mind at rest, after what occurred, I always have a loaded pistol beside my bed, just in case there should be any more nocturnal visitors."

They had gone to their separate rooms, but not before Bella had said as the Duke raised her hand to his lips:

"Thank you again for my wonderful ring. I shall go to bed with it so no-one can attempt to steal it from me."

"I think that is unlikely," the Duke replied. "But if you are frightened, remember I am right next door."

He kissed her hand again and left her. Bella had noticed that when they parted at night he never went into his bedroom by way of the communicating door which joined the Duchess's room and his. She had a strange feeling that he was waiting for her to open that door and that until she did so, it would remain closed. Then she told herself that one again she was being imaginative.

As she prayed in her room that night, she felt that not only was she praying for herself but for Lord Edward too. Hopefully God would protect him and help him until she could show him her love for him.Bella went from the Chapel to find Lord Edward. She knew he had plans to discuss with his Agent and he had not returned from the Estate Office. Feeling restless she walked to the Library.

The Curator looked up with pleasure at her approach.

"I was hoping to see you, Your Grace," he said. "I have found the book about which you enquired."

"Do you mean the one about the building of the Palace?" Bella asked. "I am so glad. I am very anxious to read it. The Duke has told me that it contains plans of the secret passages and is going to explain them to me."

"I had it ready for Your Grace the day before yesterday," he said with just a hint of reproof in his voice.

Bella smiled. "You think I am neglecting my reading," she said.

"Well, it is true. I do so much with His Grace that usually when I go to bed I fall asleep immediately."

She wanted to add that she had had much more time to read before she was married. Then thinking that might sound strange she merely said:

"Give me the book and I promise to study it most diligently."

The old Librarian walked across the huge library to the shelves where the books about the Palace were kept. She noticed that the curator was standing staring at the bookshelves. Then he moved down the long rows of volumes muttering to himself:

"I put it back here, I am sure I did."

"What has happened?" Bella asked.

"I had the book ready for Your Grace," he replied. "It was on my desk all Tuesday but as Your Grace did not come to the Library that day, I placed it on the bookshelf before I retired. I do not like to leave books lying about because the housemaids tend to move them."

"It must be where you put it," Bella said. "Let me have a look."

She knew that the Curator was old and thought that perhaps his eyesight was failing. She went along the line of books reading their titles one by one but there was no sign of the book she had requested.

"I cannot understand it," he said.

"Perhaps His Grace has taken it without telling you," Bella suggested. "Do not worry. I am sure it will turn up. Give it to me tomorrow," she said. "I still have another book to finish before I shout start on this one."

"I cannot think what has happened to it Your Grace," the curator said agitatedly. "I've never mislaid a book before."

"Yes, I know but you must not let it perturb you. I will turn up; things always do."

She walked from the Library to find the Duke waiting for her in his Sitting Room. He had on his desk the plan of some cottages he was going to build on the east side of the Estate. Lord Edward and Bella ended up talking about the Estate for the rest of the evening and Bella realized that everything that had to do with the Palace were of tremendous importance to the Duke.

'He must have a son to inherit,' she thought suddenly to herself.

When she was alone in her bed-room and had blown out the light beside her bed, she found herself thinking again that the Palace should have children in it. It was too big and too empty for two people alone, and she told herself she was not behaving in the way she should do as the Duke's wife. He had said they would be friend and that one day she would fall in love with him. But how was she to tell him that she has now realized her true feelings for him? She laid thinking of him.

He was just the other side of the door which opened between their rooms. She had not been into his bed-chamber since the night she had run in to warn him breathlessly that the man was climbing up the outside of the Palace. If she had not been there in time, he would have died from the knife the man carried with which to murder him. Even as she thought of it, that long, sharp knife which Stephanie had described as being in his possession, Bella was suddenly and vividly aware of danger.

She had experience such a premonition in the past on just 3 occasions with people she had loved. The first time had been with her Nurse, who would have been killed if Bella had not arrived on time with her father. She also had a premonition of disaster before the accident which had killed Esme and Carlisle since she had loved them both. She was there when Alice was told that had happened and her parents had been carried back to the house. It was not a feeling she could describe.

It was more of awareness within her mind, which was so strong, she could not deny it. She had it now, and she knew with a conviction she could not ignore that Lord Edward was in danger.


	13. Chapter 12

**Last chapter! **

* * *

Chapter 12

She lit a candle on the bed-side table and the one flickering light made the shadows in the room seem dark and eerie. Bella could not explain it, but she felt as if something menacing was coming nearer and nearer. Then just as she was in her night-gown and with bare feet, driven by a sense of urgency she crossed the room and opened the communicating door.

The handle made no sound as she turned it and Bella found herself in a small narrow passage with another door on the other side of it. This she knew would lead into Lord Edward's room. And for a moment she hesitated, would he not think it strange her coming into him uninvited?

Then she told herself that every sense, every instinct in her body vibrated to the feeling of danger. It was there and she must awaken him. Very slowly, hesitating because she was shy, she opened the door.

Once again she found herself in the Duke's room and once again there was a faint light coming from the window, but there was also a glow from the fire. The logs were still burning and there was a golden glow over the hearth –rug and the dark carving above the chimney-piece. As she stood there, almost like a flash of lightning Bella knew from where the danger would come.

She knew who had taken the book containing the plans of the Palace, and knew too why it had been stolen. It was Jacob who once again threatened Lord Edward!

Jacob who was prepared to murder so that he could succeed to the title!

Jacob who easily gained access to the Palace and taken the book from the shelf from which he could learn the way into the secret passage which ended in the Duke's bed-room. Bella could see it all so clearly. It was just as if someone was explaining the whole plot to her, and instinctively as if to protect the Duke she moved across the room towards where he was sleeping.

She reached the great four poster bed and as she did so a log turned over in the fireplace and the flames shot up to illuminate the room with a moment's brilliance. In its light Bella saw what was lying beside Lord Edward's bed. Without really thinking about what she was doing, she picked up the pistol and aimed towards the wall. Her instinct told her the danger was coming nearer and holding the pistol in her right hand she put out her left to touch Lord Edward on the shoulder and awaken him.

Even as she did so the paneling at the side of the fireplace opened. There was no sound, but it slid slowly sideways and in the light from the flames, the outline of a man appeared in the aperture. Bella saw the movement of his arm; felt rather than actually saw with her eyes what he was about to do; and pointing him the pistol she held in her hand she pulled the trigger.

There was a resounding explosion and then just silence.

Bella felt the gun kick and then slowly, so slowly that she thought for one frantic moment she had missed him, the man standing in the opening of the panel fell forward onto the carpet. Bella stood staring at the fallen body, the smoking pistol still in her hand, her ears ringing with the report of the explosion.

Then she was aware that Lord Edward was sitting up in bed. He said something which she could not hear because of the noise in her ears before he got out of bed and taking up a robe which lay over a chair put it on as he walked across the room to look at the man lying on the floor. He took a quick look and then he came back to Bella.

Taking the gun from her he said in a quiet, calm, unhurried voice:

"Go back to your room, Bella. Do not send for anyone. Do not speak of this. I will not have you involved."

"I have killed him!" She repeated, trying to make herself believe it.

"You will listen to me Bella," the Duke said firmly. "Do as I have told you and shut the doors between our rooms and I will come to you later."

As he spoke he put his arm around her and drew her to the communicating door which was still open. Gently he propelled her to the other side of it and then she heard the door shut. For a moment she stood where she was in the small passage, then almost as if she was sleepwalking, she moved into her own bed-chamber and closed the door.

The she stood still and put her hands up to her face. It was hard to think; hard to understand what had just happened. She only knew she had killed a man and in doing so she had saved the Duke. She felt her fingers digging into the softness of her cheeks. She had saved him!

He had been in danger and she had known it. She had known it so vividly, so undeniably that there was nothing she could do but try to warn him. And if she had not done so; if she had denied her instinct, which had warned her was about to happen, the Duke would at this moment be dead. She had not seen what the intruder carried in his hand and really did not want to see what it had been.

It might have seen a knife or a gun, but she was sure it was the latter. Just as she was certain, although she had not seen the man's face, that the man she had killed was Jacob Black. It was impossible to realize that he was dead!

But of one thing she was tinglingly aware and that was, if it had been Lord Edward who had died, she would have lost something that mattered to her more than anything else in the world. Standing with her hands covering her face, Bella knew as if she had seen it written in letters of fire, the reason why she had been able to save Lord Edward.

She loved him!

She realized now the feelings that she had for him were of love. And now she knew that every nerve in her body longed for Lord Edward, that she loved him and wanted above all else to feel his arms around her.

She wondered once what it would be like to feel his lips on hers, and recalled the strange feeling she had experience when she had kissed his cheek in gratitude for her diamond ring.

Yet she was afraid, more afraid that she had ever been in her whole life of the future. Afraid for Lord Edward; afraid of what had happened; afraid that there might be terrible trouble and scandal because of Jacob Black's death. Jacob had been difficult enough when he was alive; he was surely going to be even in his death.

She moved restlessly across the carpet of her bed-room in bare feet. Why had he not come? What had happened? She contemplated disobeying his orders and going back into his bed-chamber. She felt she could not bear to go on waiting. Again she stood still and listened but could hear nothing except the wind blowing outside the windows and occasionally making an eerie sound in the chimney.

Where is? What is he doing? Surely he must know how agitated she would be? Surely he would understand that apart from anything else it was terrifying for her to realize that she had killed a man?

One moment Jacob had been alive, the next dead because she had shot him. Just as she sat down she heard another gun shot. Bella jumped up mainly from the shock of hearing another gun shot. But now she was extremely distressed over Lord Edward's safety. She was on the verge of crying and thought despairingly that it must be nearly an hour since she had been in Lord Edward's bed-room and he had put her through the door and closed it behind her.

She thought of how magnificent he was; how impressive; how imperious and autocratic! And yet he could be kind and gently, and he had said that he would look after her so that she would not make mistakes. The clock on the mantelshelf struck the hour with a little silvery chime. But it seemed almost to boom in the quietness of the room and Bella felt like screaming.

Something must have gone wrong! Why would there have been a second gun shot? What could have caused it? What if Lord Edward was hurt? Whatever he might say, she would disobey him, go to his room and find out the truth.

She moved towards the communicating door and at that moment it opened. Bell stood still, her eyes very wide and frightened in her small face as Lord Edward came into the room. He appeared calm and unhurried, but she did not wait to find out. She ran to him impetuously and flung herself against him.

"What had happened? Where have you been? I thought you would never come!" she cried frantically. "I was afraid he had hurt you. Are you all right?"

It was all a jumble of words falling over each other and Lord Edward put his arms around her to hold her.

"I am quite all right, Bella," he answered quietly. "Jacob is dead and once again you saved my life."

It was what she wanted to hear, but the very relief of it was somehow too painful to bear and Bella burst into tears. Lord Edward drew her closer against him as she cried:

"If he is dead I must say that I did it you must not take the blame."

"It is all right," he said soothingly.

"No, no, I must tell the police," Bella protested. "Will they put me in prison until the trial?"

"There will be no trial," the Duke answered.

Then he said in a voice of deep concern:

"You are cold, frozen with cold! Why did you not get into bed?"

Bella was crying too much to answer him, so he picked her up in his arms and carried her across the room. He put her down in the big bed but when he would have taken his arms from her she clung to him.

"Do not leave me," she sobbed.

She was hardly aware of what she said; she only feared that if she should let him go he would again be in danger.

"I will not leave you," Lord Edward answered, "but I want to light the fire."

He laid her back against the pillows and then he turned and picking up the candle from the side of the bed, carried it to the fireplace. Since the kindling wood and logs were dry, when he applied a taper to the fire the flames leapt up brilliantly gold to lift the shadows from the room. Lord Edward crossed to the window and closed it. Then when he came back to the bed he stood for a moment looking down at Bella.

Her face was hidden in the pillow and her hair fell over her shoulders. She was still crying and Lord Edward could see that she was also trembling from the cold. He blew out the candle, took of his robe and got into bet to take her into his arms. Just for a moment she was still and her weeping was checked. Then she hid her face against him.

"Shall I tell you what happened, Bella?" he asked.

He could feel the chill of her body through her thin nightgown and she was still trembling, but now it was not entirely with cold. With her breath coming in little gasps she murmured:

"You said there would be no trial are you sure?"

"Quite sure," Lord Edward answered. "As I have already told you, I will not have you involved in this."

"But I am involved," Bella argued. "I killed him!"

"To save me," Lord Edward answered, "and I want to thank you. But first I wish you to realize why there will be no trial; why no-one will connect either you or me with the death of Jacob or any other."

"I knew it was Jacob," Bella said as if to herself barely registering what he had said.

"You can tell me in a moment, how you were sure of that," the Duke said, "but I want you first to know why you had to wait so long for me to come to you."

Bella had ceased crying but her face was still buried in the Duke's shoulder as he went on:

"You shot Jacob through the heart and he died instantly. I carried him down the secret passage, up which he had come to my bed-room. Fortunately there was just enough room for me to manage the twisted stairway and the narrow passages which emerge in some bushes outside the Chapel."

Bella was listening intently, realizing that the book which had been lost from the Library must have revealed to Jacob the entrance to the secret passage which let him to Lord Edward's bed-chamber.

"There was no one about at this hour of night," Lord Edward went on. "I carried Jacob fair into the woods. As I put him down in a small clearing, I felt someone behind me. It was that vile Mike Newton, with a shotgun to my head. He wanted to shoot me for marrying you and because I told the guards at the gate to not let him in therefore he wasn't able to see you at all."

Lord Edward said in a calm and peaceful voice while Bella was holding back new tears.

"I spoke to him and managed to get him distracted while I reached for a shotgun. And when he was distracted I shot him, which was the second gun shot." He paused before continuing, "I was able to make it look like a duel between the two since both of their horses were nearby."

"Someone will find them tomorrow?" Bella asked.

"Yes, they will be found," the Duke agreed, "and everything will point to them shooting each other."

"Will they really believe that?" Bella asked.

"I think so," he answered. "Moreover the local Doctor is a friend of the family and I have known him all my life so I am sure in order to avoid any scandal I can persuade him to say that Jacob's death was caused by a duel."

Bella gave a little sign of relief.

"And you are safe."

"Thanks entirely to you," the Duke answered. "And now Bella, I want you to tell me how you knew I was in danger and why you came to my room for the second time. On this occasion you could not have seen an assailant approaching me."

Because she had been lying so close to the Duke and his arms were round her, Bella was already feeling much warmer, but he felt a little shiver go through her as if she recalled her anxiety when she had known he was in danger.

"Three time before in my life," she said in a low voice, "I have been aware when something dangerous or tragic was about to happen."

"What sort of feeling is it?" he asked curiously.

"I cannot explain it," she replied, "I only know in my mind and perhaps in my heart that it is there. It is so strong so vivid that I cannot escape from it."

"First it happened when my Nurse was in danger; then before my mother died; and again when Esme and Carlisle had their accident. All people I lov… liked."

She checked herself on the last word, aware that what she was about to say was too revealing.

"All people you, liked?" the Duke questioned in his deep voice. "I think you were about to say something else, Bella."

He felt her tremble against him and then as he did not speak he said:

"Tell me the truth. What was the word you were about to say? Why were you aware of my danger, unless you felt for me something different from your feeling for any ordinary person?"

Still she did not speak and after a moment he asked very quietly:

"Was it perhaps because you, love me, Bella?"

She made a convulsive little movement and then she whispered:

"Yes, I love you but please I will not be any trouble. I know you do not love me in that way but you wanted me to…"

Lord Edward's arms tightened around her until she could hardly breathe and then he said:

"Why should you think I do not love you my darling? I have loved you since I first saw you!"

He felt her stiffen with astonishment. Then she raised her head to look up at him. In the firelight she could see his eyes looking down into hers and there was an expression in them which she had never expected to see.

"You love me?" she asked. "But you never said so."

"I fell in love with you when you tried to pretend you were Alice's lady's maid," Lord Edward said. "When I knew I had never seen anyone more beautiful, more sensitive, more ethereal."

He smiled before he went on:

"I fought against it! Yet like your feelings about danger, it was so vivd, so compelling that it was impossible to ignore it. But I had told myself I would never fall in love again! I had sworn that having once been so humiliated by a woman I would never again allow myself to be vulnerable, whatever the temptation."

"But you did love me?" Bella asked breathlessly.

"I loved you with my heart, while my lips kept on repeating that love was only an illusion, a transitory desire which had been glorified into something different by sentimentalists and romantics."

"And yet you married me."

"When I found that brute frightening you in the Sitting Room," Lord Edward answered, "I knew not only that I could not deny my heart but that you were mine and no other man should ever touch you."

There was a note in his voice which made Bella feel shy and once again she hid her face against his shoulder. She could feel his heart beating against her and now as if she suddenly realized how close there were she said almost like a child that cannot believe she is safe:

"You do really love me?"

"I love you as I have never loved in my life before," Lord Edward answered. "I know now that I felt in the past was just eh poetic imaginings of a boy. I am now a man, Bella and as a man, I want you."

His voice vibrated with a sudden passionate intensity before he went on:

"Not only because you are so beautiful my precious, so incredibly exquisite, but also because I love your clover little mind and your unbelievable courage."

His voice deepened as he said:

"You saved my life twice Bella. I am now your responsibility for as long as we both shall live."

Bella raised her face once again to look up at him.

"I was so afraid that he might hurt you."

"You are the only person who can do that if you do not love me enough."

"But I do!" she answered. "I love you with all of me. I did not know that love cold be so overwhelming or so agonizing."

"My darling one," Lord Edward said gently.

He looked at her for a long moment before he said:

"There is only one thing which has worried me. It is that you might think me of me as the man you met and not the man I could be as your husband."

He waited.

"No!" Bella cried. "You are perfect for me!"

"You are certain of that?"

"You know I would not have you any different in any way. You are so wonderful."

Then as he put his hand under her chin to lift her face still further up to his, he said, with a hint of laughter in his voice:

"I think I have won my bet. I told you it was an odds on chance."

"I can hardly believe it," Bella whispered, "And I am so glad so very glad that you were right."

"And you were right too," he said still looking down at her.

"You told me that I would be pierced by Cupid's arrow."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Bella asked timidly. "I prayed that I might make you happy, but I never thought that you would really love me. Oh but if that day came, I would only give you love."

"And is that what you are ready to give me?"

"You know I am."

Very slowly, as if he savored the moment, Lord Edward bent his dead a little nearer and his mouth took possession of hers. His kiss was very gently, as he felt her lips soft beneath his, and then he felt a little quiver of excitement run through her, which caused him to draw her closer still. His kisses became more demanding, more insistent, until it seemed to Bella that all that was beautiful in life was a part of them both. He kissed her until she felt a strange ecstasy seeping into her; running through her veins like the flickering flames of the fire.

He raised his head.

"I love you, God, how I love you."

Bella moved her hand which was against his shoulder and her ring glittered in the firelight.

"You gave me a heart," she said. "But I thought you did not really mean it."

"I meant it," he replied, "because already my heart was yours and I thought the day would come when you would understand why I had chosen that particular shape."

A log fell over into the fireplace and its flames leapt up to illuminate the room.

Looking down, Lord Edward could see Bella's eyes looking up at him with radiance in them he had never seen before. Her lips were parted and she looked so lovely that his arms tightened round her as if he was afraid to lose her.

"There are so many things I want to give you my beautiful wife," he said, "because you are bringing me the happiness that I have always missed. I want to take the stars from the sky to hang them around your neck, and twist a sun-beam into a tiara for your hair."

Bella gave a little laugh of sheer happiness. But then she hesitated and then she said in a low voice.

"There is one thing I would like you to give me; one thing I would like more than anything else in the world."

"You know I will give you anything you want," he answered. "Tell me what it is?"

He waited and then in a small voice he could hardly hear, Bella said:

"So that I shall no longer be afraid of heir presumptive trying to kill you will you give me your son?"

Lord Edward was still and then his lips were on hers and he was kissing her demandingly, fiercely, passionately!

Something wild and wonderful leapt within her to match the ecstasy she had aroused in him. She could feel his heart beating tumultuously and her body seemed to melt into his. They were no longer two people but one as they made love.

"I love you, I love you," Bella whispered.

"My precious, perfect, wonderful wife," he murmured against her lips.

She was his and he was hers.


End file.
